


Please Remember Me Like This

by ElizaDarling



Series: There's a Spark You Just Can't Fight [2]
Category: Disney - All Media Types, Onward (2020)
Genre: #Give Ian Lightfoot A Boyfriend, American Football, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, Family Feels, High School, Hurt Ian Lightfoot, Ian Lightfoot Needs a Hug, M/M, Magic, Romance, Sequel, Teen Romance, but also here's a sequel to my last fic because I'm fueled by pure spite, continuing to show that I still have no idea how to tag, enjoy, here have some more Lightheim, so here have a drama instead, with a way more appropriate ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:20:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 77,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26458591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizaDarling/pseuds/ElizaDarling
Summary: Sequel to Firsts. Ian and Aeric head into senior year expecting smooth sailing to graduation on their way to Willowdale together. But when Ian discovers a group devoted to learning magic, he's torn between his newfound passion, and the plan he's made with his boyfriend, wondering if he can even have both in his life as its charismatic leader sways him away from everything he's known.
Relationships: Barley Lightfoot & Ian Lightfoot, Barley Lightfoot/Original Female Character(s), Ian Lightfoot/Original Character(s), Ian Lightfoot/Original Male Character(s)
Series: There's a Spark You Just Can't Fight [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701850
Comments: 42
Kudos: 25





	1. Right Now We're Just So Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> What, another story so soon? Yep, because I'm still trying to keep up with being a consistent writer this year, and also because I'm fueled by spite.
> 
> Oh, and because I have another story to tell with these two, and I actually want to bring it to life before I forget all about it and move on.
> 
> Unlike the last story, which had lines from quite a few songs, this is all from "Remember Me" by Dove Cameron and BIA, which is all about reminiscing on the perfect moments in a relationship before things can so quickly turn around. And we might get there, who knows, heh.
> 
> In this case, I would definitely advise reading Firsts before starting on this fic.

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 1:** _"Right Now We're Just So Perfect"_

Ian spent what seemed like the better part of the summer looking for the absolutely, no questions about it, _perfect_ gift for Aeric's birthday.

What _did_ one get the absolutely, no questions asked, _perfect_ boyfriend in the realms? He had everything: a great car, the best job (where Ian could indulge in his quickly growing caffeine addiction _for free_ now), wardrobe that never failed to show off those bulging biceps... Ian supposed newer exercise equipment, but what actually worked? He would never be able to figure out what Aeric needed without it being _too_ obvious. And even worse, all Aeric said he wanted was the company of his boyfriend! No huge party, no mention of cake, even!

"You're more than enough," Aeric had complimented during one walk along the beach. "I don't need anything else when life is pretty much perfect."

Meanwhile, here Aeric was, constantly pestering what Ian might want for _his_ birthday, only about a month and a half after his boyfriend's. Ian could think of a bunch of things he might want: a celebration with their friends and family, these adorable pink floral printed shorts he saw at the mall and a new pair of wedges (the superior heel, he'd come to find this summer), new assist items to help with magic, a car.

Yes, that last one was certainly the most implausible, but a soon-to-be senior could dream.

All Aeric seemed to want was Ian's company and a show of magic. And, not to brag too much, but they _had_ spent a great majority of their summer so far practicing together, and Ian could feel magic just becoming easier to wield and control. Going into stance took very little thought, as did believing in himself, with Barley and Aeric constantly cheering him on and encouraging him. Hell, he was even learning more spells in Quests of Yore Volumes 2 and 3 (the strength and water spell being two of Aeric's absolute favorites), and with all this extra time not spent at school, attending boring classes, his advancement and progression were just... natural at this point.

Whether it was tossing a ball in the park for Aeric and Gurge to chase after, or practicing astral projection when he and his boyfriend eventually had to physically part, Ian could feel the swell of his powers becoming prouder, his smile growing whenever he cast anything, as opposed to his initial apprehension. Barley, of course, played impressed every time.

"By this point, you're going to be the first full-blown wizard of the 21st century!" he complimented, only after Ian had apologized for dousing him in water in the front yard (again, for skipping yet another shower).

"I wouldn't know about _that_ ," Ian replied sheepishly, shrugging. "You should really take care of your hygiene more—you have a girlfriend now."

"Such things matter not in the presence of my lovely Athena!" Barley cried, wringing out his beanie. The sweet mechanic who had so carefully fixed Guinevere 2.0 found herself enamored with Ian's older brother—even convinced him to sign up for classes for the upcoming semester at NMCC, effectively ending what Mom still liked to call "the world's longest gap year." Ian still couldn't believe it: someone had tamed Barley's seemingly permanent bachelor status—a _centaur_ , nonetheless (which he'd continue to tease his brother with, after all the crap they'd said about Colt back in the day).

But Athena _was_ lovely, as Barley so often complimented: her gentle voice appealed to everyone, she didn't mind showing off her wits and intelligence, and she even got along with Aeric, helping him jog some mornings (which, for a centaur, was absolutely _nothing_ ).

"Speaking of..." Ian continued, setting down his staff in the grass. "I think I know what I want to do for Aeric's birthday."

"When is it again?" Barley asked, sitting down to face the sun. One thing Ian would give to New Mushroomton summers: they were at least a _dry_ heat, and the Lightfoots lived pretty close to the ocean.

"The eighth," Ian replied, sitting beside his brother and hugging his knees to his chest. "He keeps saying he has everything, so I was thinking... maybe if I give him an _experience_ as opposed to a physical gift, he'd still love it."

"Ian, as your older brother, I am definitely _not_ having that conversation with you about being responsible about—"

"What?" But Ian flushed when he realized what his brother was implying. " _Gross_ , Barley! I should douse you for that again! _No_ , I was just going to ask if I could borrow Guinevere and take Aeric beach camping for the weekend! His birthday's on a Saturday!"

"Oh. Well, that's nice." Barley shrugged. "But no can do, Iandore. I'm working that night."

Damn, that's what he was hoping _not_ to hear! But Ian wasn't too proud to beg, especially when it came to his boyfriend. "Come on, _please_? Can't you ask your girlfriend to give you a ride or something, or work it out with Mom and Colt? This is the _only_ decent idea I've had about Aeric's birthday!"

"You sure you can't ask to borrow one of your friends' cars? Or Aeric's and like, actually pitch up a tent or something?" Barley suggested.

"Yeah, but it's not about the setting as much as it is about _her_." Ian gestured to his brother's prized van in their driveway. "You know how much Aeric loves Guinevere—especially with her new paint job, and the skylight you just installed..." An absolutely perfect, romantic setting for the two of them... "A tent just isn't the right setting." To add emphasis, Ian widened his eyes and gave the slightest pout—the absolute last resort when he wanted Barley to do something.

"Aw, damn it, Ian, not the _face_!" Barley groaned, rolling his eyes. "Fine, _fine_ , I'll figure something out for work and see if I can get a ride from a coworker... You owe me, though, big time!"

"It's a good thing I'm working on yours and Athena's outfits for the Ren Faire, then!" Luckily he had this ace up his sleeve—though magic was definitely helping him out on getting those done in a quicker manner.

"I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?" said Barley, with a heavy sigh.

Ian shrugged. "Not sure—Mom still says I'm a better driver than you. She'll come back in one piece."

"Adhere to the rules, little bro," Barley warned, starting to stand. "Make sure she's sparkling from the inside out."

"Sure, I'll just use the water spell!" he joked, standing and wiping the grass from his shorts. "Aeric's really gonna love it."

"Yeah, yeah, you're spoiling your boyfriend." Waving a dismissive hand, Barley decided to change the subject. "Anyone ever tell you that your summer wardrobe makes you look like a mid-century housewife?"

Flushing, Ian took in his sleeveless button down and high waisted shorts. "Mom lent me these from when she was my age." It was better than buying new clothes at the mall, and had some great vintage vibes now that he wanted to explore with more feminine choices. "Aeric likes them..."

"Hey, I'm just calling it like I see it. She didn't exactly have the best taste, is all I'm saying."

Just for that, Ian doused his brother again.

* * *

The list for Aeric's birthday went as following:

**[ ] Reserve a place on the beach for camping (preferably far from all other campers)**

**[ ] Buy materials for s'mores and a campfire**

**[ ] Make sure Guinevere has enough gas and is cleaned**

**[ ] Packing list:**

**[ ] extra clothes**

**[ ] PJs**

**[ ] blankets and pillows**

**[ ] speaker for playing music**

**[ ] toiletries**

**[ ] towels for the beach**

It seemed simple enough, anyway. Ian knew to bring his staff, given Aeric just wanted to see him show off (and what magical birthday was complete without fireworks?), and even had a cute beach outfit to wear the next day. But he wanted it to be at least a _bit_ of a surprise—all he told Aeric was to keep the night freed up, so he could spend time with his parents during the day, and to pack an overnighter. With each item he checked off the list, the more excited he was: his boyfriend was going to be seventeen!

"You're responsible, right, Ian?" Mom brought up the night before, as Ian dried up dishes and placed them away. "I trust you with your brother's van, but a night away with your boyfriend..."

"Gods, Mom, not you, too!" Ian cried with a flush, hiding his face in his hands. " _Yes_ , now can we drop it, please?" He didn't know what was worse: getting this talk from Mom, or Barley. There was a _huge_ reason he went to Aeric instead in the first place.

"I'm just saying." Mom held her hands up defensively. "Just make sure you're all prepared, baby, that's all."

After that mortifying conversation, Ian really wasn't sure _what_ to think. Still, he wouldn't let it put a damper in preparing for Aeric's birthday, making sure every part of Guinevere was shining, that he had the best spells in mind to blow his boyfriend away. And while he had a flannel and jeans for what was sure to be a cooler night by the shore, he couldn't wait to show off the new wedges he just bought the next day.

Hell, he was even taking a page out of Aeric's book and preparing a whole playlist just for their evening together.

" _Counting down the hours until I can see you!_ " Aeric texted the morning of. Ian, of course, was already up, too jittery and excited to sleep much. He couldn't wait to see the look on his boyfriend's face once he announced what they were doing!

" _Me, too! Happy birthday, Aer!"_ Ian sent with a balloons gif, and a million other loving images. " _I love you_!" No matter how many times he sent it, or said it, those three little words just never got old.

Ian took a stroll down to the store this clear, glorious morning just to get rid of some of his nervous energy (if he'd bought the s'mores ingredients any earlier, they'd be finished off by now). " _It's my boyfriend's seventeenth birthday!_ " he wanted to scream to anyone he passed, anyone who would listen. It was like the weather _wanted_ to be perfect for Aeric today. Oh, was he the luckiest elf in the realms, to be dating one of New Mushroomton's golden boys: a guy so perfect that now Ian just wanted to show him off wherever he went.

He went over the plan again in his head: pick up Aeric by sunset, and Ian would surprise him with Burger Shire, which they'd eat on the beach. Make s'mores, listen to music, dance, dip their feet in the water... Hopefully this was the experience Aeric would rather have for his birthday than any physical gift (given that Ian was a _bit_ cash poor on the Dragonland trip they'd always fantasized about).

Ian showered after his grocery trip, making sure his curls at least gave off the _semblance_ of looking in place (seriously—even with magic, combs still got stuck in there sometimes, and once a spell _straightened_ out his hair... never again!), made sure he had one of his nicer flannels and jeans on... He triple checked to make sure he had toiletries and an extra pair of clothes and socks and towels _on top_ of the other pair he packed (just in case). And honestly, with how much he cleaned up Guinevere just for this trip, he might have taken care of her more than even Barley did.

"Not one smudge, Iandore!" Barley warned as Ian walked out the door, grabbing Guinevere's keys from the foyer. Luckily he was able to get a carpool ride from a coworker, and seemed to be waiting for her in the living room.

"Got it! See you tomorrow!" Ian called, making sure to take his staff from under the coat rack. Hell, he could almost twirl it, he was so excited for tonight!

Once in the car, he sent Aeric a text that he was on the way, glad that Guinevere 2.0's engine didn't have a sweet spot and a working gas gauge and turn signals. Her backseat had quickly been transformed into a comfy pad, pillows and blankets set up on her floor, and battery powered star lights to bathe their entire evening in a perfect, romantic glow (not to mention, Barley let Ian hang Dad's old Willowdale pennant just under the Phoenix Gem window). She seemed a little less of _just_ Barley's, and a little more of the two of them working together on honoring her predecessor, from her newly gleaming, purple paint job around the magical portrait he'd made of them on Guinevere's back, the shape of her windows, how well she could handle magic when Ian wanted her to really fly.

True, Aeric's house really wasn't that far from Ian's, and on good days, he didn't mind the walk in the slightest, but the look on his boyfriend's face when he pulled up in his brother's van was absolutely priceless. Normally Ian would go in, say hi to Fiske and Della, but there was Aeric, waiting out front with a container of leftover cake.

"Holy Shantar's Talon, babe!" Aeric cried as he approached Guinevere, his violet eyes wide and his grin huge. "You're taking me out in _Guinevere_?"

"Happy birthday, Aeric!" Ian called back, rolling down the passenger window. "Took a little convincing, but I was able to get Barley to lend her to us tonight!"

Sighing as he got in, Aeric deposited his duffel and cake in the back and leaned over the dash to give Ian a proper kiss. "I have the best boyfriend in the realms."

"Yeah, well, don't thank me yet. The night's just getting started, you know!" He didn't know why _this_ of all things, being able to drive off with Aeric in Guinevere, was something that made him realize that he'd been so _nervous_ up until this point, like there would be something to try and stop them from having an incredible night together.

Irrational fears and scenarios that he'd played in the back of his mind, the craziest things his head could conjure, and yet that kind of soothed him into believing _nothing_ would ever be so terrible. Aeric nodded along to the birthday playlist Ian started to play over Guinevere's speakers, and shot him a cheeky smile as they pulled into the Burger Shire drive-thru.

"You really wanna spoil me tonight, don't you?" Aeric crossed his arms over his chest. "I even had _cake_ today. I think I'm gonna need you to throw the football in the park a little further next week."

"What's wrong with me spoiling you?" Ian scrunched his nose. "It's not every day you turn seventeen."

"You're about to next month," Aeric pointed out. "And I have so many ideas on what to get you, especially now that I've got a bit of income coming in with the summer job..."

"You sad about leaving it so soon?" Ian asked, pausing only to order for them: lettuce wrapped burger for Aeric with a side salad, griffin strips, extra fries and sauce for him. Iced tea and a giant slushie (cherry).

"Just a bit," Aeric sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Yeah, it was stressful catering to the morning crowd, and the amount of iced blended drinks these kids can consume... but it was a lot of fun, too. And now I know how to make proper coffee!"

"My own personal barista. You sure I'm not the lucky one?" Ian teased.

"Nah, never. You can meet a dozen guys like me, but there will only ever be one of you."

Ian hated when Aeric tried to undermine himself, like he was just some uninteresting kid, when nothing could be further from the truth. Wasn't Aeric gunning for Salutatorian this year? That had to be a textbook definition of "unconventional."

"There's only one Aeric K. Aldheim, and I'm lucky enough to date him," he countered instead, before opening the window to pay for their food. "Going into senior year with you is probably the most excited I've ever been about a first day of school... ever, I think."

"I think for me, too. I've never had a boyfriend going into a school year before—summer flings, sure, but those always ended. I like being so serious and committed."

"You like being a kept man, huh?" Ian chuckled, handing Aeric their food so he could keep driving.

"For once," Aeric laughed in reply, immediately grabbing a fry and holding it up for Ian to take, which he leaned over and practically slurped right up (how hot it was be damned). "Being the kept, trophy boyfriend of a wizard might just be the best label I've had at school."

"Or it _would_ be, if anyone else referred to you as _my_ boyfriend." Ian rolled his eyes affectionately; try as he did (and boy, did Aeric try), most people knew Ian as Aeric's boyfriend, not the other way around. The perks of being popular first, he supposed, but Aeric was _really_ considerate in making sure people knew his name, knew him as his own person.

Occasionally Ian would glance at Aeric as they started to drive closer to the shore, hoping he understood just where they were going. And those purple eyes nwould widen, magnified in his huge, round glasses once it dawned on him just _where_ they'd be camping out.

" _Beach_ camping, babe?" he cried, clutching onto the paper bags tighter. "I thought we were gonna sneak into the lookout, but this is _so_ much better!"

" _This_ isn't technically loitering and trespassing," Ian pointed out, finding the scant few campers and parking as far away from them as possible. The more secluded, the better; this night was all about celebrating Aeric, and celebrating them. "Much as I love the view from the lookout over the city."

"Yeah, but a beach, the moons, a little fire..." Aeric sighed, and when Ian killed the engine, he leaned over for a longer kiss, the first of many to come for the evening. "You really thought about this, and it's all I could have wanted for my birthday. I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Aer." And now Ian could _really_ breathe a sigh of relief, knowing Aeric loved his gift, and didn't need anything else.

* * *

They watched the sun set behind the ocean on the hood of Guinevere, eating their crappy fast food and mulling lowly over hoping they'd have more classes that overlapped this year a opposed to last year (Ian could finally take Study Hall, they'd probably have the same Lit and History classes). The Dragons would start practicing again soon, meaning more days when Ian could see Aeric with his hair up, contacts in...

Though there arguably would be less time ogling at his abs. Given all the beach time they'd gotten in this summer, both by themselves and with their friends, and how warm it'd been—Ian had seen _quite_ a bit of his boyfriend showing off, and it was certainly _enticing_ every time.

"You nervous for the season?" he asked as he tossed out their garbage in a nearby trashcan, before starting to scour for a few sticks for firewood (the one thing, of course, Ian forgot to bring).

"A little," Aeric admitted, playing with the stick in his hands as he started to wander to gather more. "Coach is really good at finding scouts for schools, and there's no way I'm gonna be able to afford Willowdale without at least a few scholarships: academic _and_ sports. I just _gotta_ do well."

"I know you will, babe," Ian assured, grabbing his staff from Guinevere and opening her back doors. With the moons rising, with the lights looking fantastic as they gave off a perfect glow, the atmosphere for their romantic evening. "I'm trying for a few academic ones—why is it we want to go to a _private_ , four year university again?"

"Because they have a great team and your dad went there?" Aeric suggested with a shrug. "It's as good a reason to go as any. And something tells me it's where your brother wants to transfer after he's done with NMCC."

"It might be," sighed Ian, using magic to levitate stray sticks around the beach to their little pile. "Also it's close enough to home to visit on weekends. I couldn't imagine being so far away from everyone except for major holidays."

"You wanna do a tour together sometime?" Aeric placed the pile he'd walked around to gather to add to what Ian had collected. "Just us? No pressure from other students or our parents, maybe with Tina to see how she's adjusting?"

"Yeah," Ian sighed, and he couldn't help but smile at knowing Aeric wanted to suggest it just to make him feel more comfortable. "Yeah, that'd honestly be great."

It occurred to him that sure, he'd researched Willowdale when he started high school quite a bit, saw it as a way to be closer to his dad, given at the time he didn't think they had _anything_ in common. And sure, while the website boasted smiling students and courses and majors that genuinely interested him, Ian still had yet to really _explore_ the campus. Aeric, on the other hand, by his own inadvertent actions on his sixteenth birthday, accidentally forced the whole football team to practice there until the field had been rebuilt. Willowdale was lucky enough to be surrounded by nice neighborhoods, a few local restaurants and old theatres he couldn't wait to explore with Aeric... Right now it only played out as a fantasy—and Ian wanted to manifest it into reality.

" _Flame Infernar_!" Ian cried, setting the pile ablaze (and saving a few sticks for their marshmallows). Aeric set up one of the larger towels on the sand, and Ian moved his birthday playlist from Guinevere's speakers to the portable one he brought, letting it play lowly over the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. He thought back to the beginning of the year, to the beach party where he showed off magic to all the popular kids, the stolen kisses away from the crowd, having his first beer under Aeric's eye. This was, of course, warmer, given he had the fire raging close to them (and had already stolen Aeric's jacket to drape around his shoulders.

"We shouldn't think about school right now, or college, or the ORC test, or any of that other crap that's gonna plague us during senior year," Aeric decided, lifting his hips so he could slip his phone in his back pocket. The pictures they'd taken tonight were few, deciding to just stay in their little bubble (not to mention reception wasn't exactly the best in this more secluded cove).

"You're right," Ian decided, spearing a marshmallow on a stick and handing it to Aeric. Normally he knew his boyfriend wasn't one for more than one dessert in a night, but on his birthday, he seemed okay with making an exception. The leftover cake they'd snacked on a little earlier, while store bought from a little bakery in town, actually had a lot of light, gorgeous flavors (who knew dragonfruit could be made into cake so tastefully?), and Ian had to stop himself from gorging on the whole thing.

He took that piece of advice from his boyfriend's book, making sure to twirl his marshmallow on the fire slowly, to achieve that perfect, golden brown consistency. Sure, it'd take a good ten minutes, but wow, did the marshmallow puff up so much—it grew to twice its size!

"You got it, babe, just like that!" Aeric encouraged, chuckling as they leaned into each other. Gosh, the little star lights inside Guinevere had _nothing_ on the array of stars shining above them, away from the city lights drowning them out.

"Well, I learned from the best!" Ian giggled, finishing his s'mores assembly. He hummed into the bite, adoring just how well all the flavors went together. If life could just be this: him, Aeric, magic, no cares in the world, he'd consider it a pretty perfect one.

A slower song from his playlist started to play lowly, and Aeric perked up. "Oh, I love this song!" he declared, then stood. "Dance with me?"

"What?" Ian asked, unable to stop the nervous chuckle that escaped. Sure, it wouldn't be their first dance together, but all alone, just on the beach? Wasn't that weird, even if it was just them?

"Dance with me," Aeric repeated, holding out his hand to pull Ian up. "It's my birthday and I want to dance with my boyfriend."

Obviously Ian couldn't say no to that. Still, that didn't stop his slight hesitance as he slipped his hand into Aeric's, who pulled him up like he weighed nothing (which, with those muscles and how much Aeric could bench press, was probably the case). It reminded Ian a lot of Spring Fling: sparkling lights, forgetting the world around them to where it was just he and his boyfriend, engrossed in each other, the slow circle they formed without much effort, Aeric leading gently with his hands encircling Ian's thin waist. Those eyes still trained completely on him, almost sparkling with reflections of their campfire reflected in the violet hues.

"You're quite persuasive," Ian sighed, leaning in to press his cheek to Aeric's chest. This was probably his favorite place to be, his ear hearing the assured, steady rhythm of his heart. "But be a little careful of what we have on the towel—I don't want to accidentally kick my staff into the fire or something."

"That's odd." Aeric chuckled, kissing the top of Ian's head. "What would happen if your staff caught fire, from a fire spell you made?"

"I honestly don't know. Barley thinks it'll burn away the magic and the staff will be useless, but it's just a theory. Don't think anyone has ever tried it recently, especially since finding a wizard staff is a little more rare these days... I don't feel like testing that anytime soon since my staff is just a splinter of what my dad used to have."

"I get it." Aeric led them a little more into the sand, just to distance themselves a little further. "I wouldn't want you to lose any other part of him, from the little you know."

Aeric used to not even want to listen to Ian gush about Dad, given his terrible relationship with his birth mom. It was nice to see him ask the occasional question, or give him the slightest of assurances. " _Do_ you want to see some magic tonight?" he asked as the song bled into the next one on shuffle.

"I always do," said Aeric, kissing Ian's forehead next. "Without school in the way, you've gotten really good at it—from what I can gather, knowing only _one_ wizard."

"Yeah—I thought I would have met another local wizard by now, but... no such luck." Sighing, Ian tried not to let his mind wander to his occasional research into forum boards of people _speculating_ about magic, but there had been no indication that anyone around New Mushroomton knew magic. He couldn't be the only one out there, could he? And if so, what did that mean for his future? For the future of wanting to keep magic alive?

All this heavy thinking... he really couldn't let it get to him, not on Aeric's birthday. Slowly they stopped dancing, and Ian pulled back so he could look up at his boyfriend. "You don't think I'm the only one, do you?"

Aeric shook his head. "I don't, but... if you are, then I'm dating one in a billion. It makes me all the more lucky to know you, and better, love you."

Much as Ian wanted that to be reassuring, the _loneliness_ of such a fate only made him feel worse. He hid that sadness in another kiss, pulling Aeric down by his jaw to hold him closer. "You're perfect," he said. "You're more than enough for me."

"I don't mean to make you sad," said Aeric, reading right through him. "How about... you show me some fireworks."

It had been Aeric's favorite spell from the beginning, ever since he did his demonstration with Corey on their first date. But knowing that always brought a smile to Ian's face, and he bent down to pick up his staff, getting into position like it was second nature now.

" _Boombastia_!" he cried clearly, a flurry of colorful fireworks blasting above them. With this new confidence in his powers, in all the practice he'd been doing over the summer, this one spell churned out more than just a few colorful explosions: there were streams of fireworks, some with bigger and louder sounds than others; some whistled, and some crackled.

A whole show just for them, the lights reflecting on the calm waves in colorful ripples.

And Ian showed off other spells he knew how to do now: shrinking a pillow for a moment, amplifying his voice to carry across the ocean, skipping a stone using magic and watching it disappear beyond the horizon... Aeric watched in awe from the towel, leaning back and taking in everything about magic, that even though he'd seen these spells what seemed like hundreds of times, the way his eyes widened always looked like it was the first, all over again.

Turning back to his boyfriend, Ian smiled. "You've been so quiet," he pointed out. "There's nothing else you wanted to see me do?"

Aeric darted his gaze to the side for a moment. The next person camping on either side of them was at _least_ a mile away—and he bit his lip, looking up at Ian expectantly. "Strength spell, babe?"

Ian chuckled, knowing exactly what that entailed. Sure, it was a spell he started practicing last month during one of Aeric's workouts, to help him a little more, but his boyfriend realized he liked it a little _too_ much. "What time is it?" he asked.

Aeric fished out his phone to read the time. "A little past ten," he said.

Yeah, that was late enough. Sure, Barley said to keep Guinevere clean, but... well, Ian could handle it; he brought his _own_ blankets for them to sleep on, after all. And who was he to deny his boyfriend on his birthday—to deny himself, even? Smirking, he walked over to the towel, holding his staff close to his arms (as the Quests of Yore book had advised, as opposed to the usual stance).

" _Might Magnora_." The strength spell worked through him quickly, his muscles (or rather, lack thereof), pulsing, the need to pick something up much larger than him screaming.

Yeah, the image of skinny, average height Ian Lightfoot picking up his huge, muscular boyfriend looked a little strange, especially in the mirror (and especially when Ian wanted to wear one of his cuter outfits), but the look in Aeric's eyes, of complete trust, loyalty, and love, was more than enough for him to not feel as weird about the absurdity of the image. Enough for him to pick Aeric up like he weighed nothing, carrying him into the back of Guinevere while delving into a kiss, and used the staff to close the doors behind them.

* * *

The moons shone brightly through Guinevere's skylight, but Aeric finally opened the doors to get a bit of fresh air, making sure to at least pull on his boxers. Despite the breeze from the waves, it was still warm out, and by this point, probably past midnight. Past the time for his birthday, yet here he was, seventeen and with the one person that mattered most in his life right now. The fire had died down to glowing embers (at least, from what he could gather without his glasses), but with all the blankets Ian brought, they'd certainly be fine for the night.

Ian stepped out, clad in Aeric's shirt as he scratched the back of his head. Aeric leaned against Guinevere, still adjusting. "You okay, Aer?" he asked. It was always comical to see Ian in his clothes; they were so huge, hanging off his lanky shoulders, falling halfway down his thighs. But damn if he didn't love it.

"Yeah," he assured, taking in a deep breath. He remembered his seventh birthday, the first one he ever spent with his mom, before she married his dad. She brought him to another leg of this beach, and it was the first time Aeric had _really_ seen her swim and stretch her fins, unable to forget the shimmer of her scales, far different in the ocean as opposed to the pool they eventually got. The smell of clear seawater, though, was what he remembered most, as it was his first _real_ trip out here, despite living so close to the water his whole life. "Yeah, I just needed a bit of air. I'm fine, baby."

More than fine, been. Content. Pretty much perfect. This gorgeous summer evening, being able to freely love Ian and watch him become more and more of the powerful wizard he knew lurked beneath. Every day his powers seemed more sure of themselves, stronger, even, if tonight was any indication.

"Did you have a good birthday?" Ian leaned his head on Aeric's shoulder, looking out to the reflection of the moons on the water. "I know you didn't want anything physical, but if you did..."

"This was better than any gift anyone could have given me," he assured, leaning back against Ian. "This whole evening was perfect, Ian, thank you."

"It's past midnight; I had to ask," Ian chuckled, wrapping his arms around his torso. The strength spell had worn off, but ever since Ian discovered he could use it to pick him up... well, it'd been a great summer, that was for sure.

Looking out to the waves, blurred as they were, Aeric added, "Well, I can think of one more way to make it perfect."

"Hm?" Ian moved his gaze up to it. "What do you want to do now?"

Aeric tilted his head to the water. "You ever go swimming at night before?"

"N-not in the ocean," Ian admitted, shaking his head. "And I... didn't bring a bathing suit."

"So?" Aeric shrugged. "No one's around."

"You mean..." Even without his glasses, Aeric could see Ian's cheeks flush pinker than usual as his voice dropped. " _Skinny dipping_?"

"Why not?" He shrugged again. "I don't really want to go far, we have all these extra towels..." No, he wasn't going to play the birthday card again if Ian was truly uncomfortable with the idea. But boy, would it be the cherry on top of a perfect evening.

Ian glanced around, as if they'd be noticed this far off the beaten path, but he had to make sure, Aeric supposed, and nodded like if he thought any harder about it he'd change his mind. "Yeah... let's do it," he decided, reaching into Guinevere to pull out the extra towels (which Aeric was sure Ian brought just _in case_ he accidentally forgot the one he meant to bring in the first place).

Clothes left on the beach, they ran hand in hand into the calm waves, only going in deep enough to Ian's chest. "Sh-Shantar's Talon, this is colder than I was expecting!" he cried, laughing.

"It's not that bad!" Aeric assured, stepping closer. "But come here." He pulled Ian in, holding him close just to share some body heat.

"That's better," Ian sighed, reaching up for a kiss, and then moving down to kiss one of the marks he left on his neck. "You know, only you could convince me to do something this crazy."

"Because I love you, and I love it when you live a little, and live life to the fullest," he replied.

"I love being more of that person," Ian confessed, and with the water displacement, he could actually lift Aeric without the aid of magic. "And I love you for showing me that I always could."

Aeric's only birthday wish, made when his parents presented him with his cake earlier today, was to stay in this perfect headspace with Ian, floating along together into senior year and beyond.

If tonight was any indication, that wish was already coming true.


	2. Make You Wanna Freeze Frame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian's 17th birthday rolls around, and this year is much different than his last (in all the best ways).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me tell you now, this is the only time I'm going to post a chapter early (and I did struggle to get this in on time). But this is a chapter about Ian's birthday, and September 18th is his theorized birthday, so I had to!
> 
> Barley's girlfriend, Athena Lancelot, belongs to zandiiangelspit. I have permission to use her in this story. Make sure to check out her art!
> 
> Please enjoy another cheesy and fluffy chapter!

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 2:** _"Make You Wanna Freeze Frame"_

They rejoiced when they read their class schedules.

Four classes together, even more than last year! Accelerated Calculus, Study Hall, Accelerated Lit, Accelerated History of the Western Realm—weighted classes that would helped them out on those applications, Aeric knew. They kissed right there in the hall, enough for one of the teachers to tell them to break it up as they tried to walk to class together, arm in arm.

Everyone complimented Ian on the patched overall skirt he wore for his first day outfit, paired tastefully with a linen shirt under, knee high socks, and short-heeled Mary Janes. Fall chic, with a hint of schoolgirl playfulness, and Aeric adored showing his boyfriend off (as well as their new senior status).

"You sure you don't want to be Homecoming King?" he asked, noting just how many people greeted Ian first, then Aeric. "I bet you'd be a shoo-in."

"Nah." Ian shrugged. "You're actually one of the players in the game, Sadalia is one of the main cheerleaders... it should be you. Besides, I have to recycle my suit from Spring Fling, anyway, if I want to even _think_ about anything new for Prom."

Prom, Homecoming, Senior ditch day, Grad Night... There were so many activities on the list—how were they going to get through them all while focusing up on school work and applying for college?

Aeric waved to their pixie guidance counselor, Ms. Sparkleshaw, knowing they'd be spending _quite_ a bit of time in her office trying to perfect their applications and essays. Hell, they were already taking the ORC test in a couple of weeks, and Ian wanted to spend what time they could studying for it.

But that was in the future. Right now, he basked in the glow of senior status, as did their entire friend group: Sadalia, taking on Tina's mantle of being the most inclusive cheerleader possible while looking absolutely fabulous; Gurge, who always wanted to show off his varsity jacket even more than Aeric; Althea, now free from her braces and pushing along her mermaid girlfriend Kameron, both boasting their LGBTQ+ pins; Parthenope, hair freshly dyed strawberry blonde now that she'd grown bored of the blonde she'd boasted this summer. Everything about senior year so far reminded Aeric of those feel-good teen movies he used to watch, dreaming of this day where he'd feel heady and on top of the world.

They were _seniors_. And Aeric headed straight into it with his amazing boyfriend.

"Okay, babe, I'll do you a better one, then: Prom Kings."

"'Prom Kings'?" Ian repeated, wide eyed as they stopped in front of their Calculus class. "Y-you really think we could be _the_ royalty of Prom?"

"Why not?" Aeric shrugged, wrapping his arm tighter around Ian's shoulders. "Can't you see it? 'Prom Kings: Ian Lightfoot and Aeric Aldheim.' I'd rally the crap out of us."

"My name first?" Ian squeaked, still not buying it.

"Of course, baby." Aeric kissed his temple quickly. "You're definitely more important. Haven't you heard what people call us when we're together? We're Lightheim—and your name comes up first there, too!"

"'Lightheim'..." Ian uttered as they walked into class together, finding seats toward the back where they could sit next to each other. "That's clever. I can't believe I'm popular enough to have people combining our names!"

"Get used to it," said Aeric, pulling out his notebook. "The best year of high school is _just_ starting, and it's only going to get better afterward."

* * *

Last year, all Ian wanted to do was gorge on blanket weenies and hope there was _something_ about him that Dad would have loved. Last year, he didn't want Barley embarrassing him, wasn't even sure if his group of friends would even find Barley cool.

Last year, he was too scared to even approach anyone about the fact that he had enough food to feed all five of them, plus Barley, Mom, and Colt.

Last year, he wasn't a wizard, and he didn't appreciate his brother.

Last year, he didn't have a boyfriend.

And while Ian had spent the better part of the summer constantly worrying about what he was going to do for Aeric's seventeenth birthday, for his, Aeric played cool as a cucumber, assuring Ian that he had everything under control, and the gifts (as in, plural?) he got Ian would blow him away.

"But... seventeen isn't a milestone!" he cried, hoping Aeric's gifts weren't so lush that they made his experience for Aeric look like child's play. "Aer, I really don't _need_ anything." Now, his lists of wants, on the other hand... that list was a mile long, not that he'd ever tell his boyfriend that.

"Your birthday's on a Saturday this year, like mine was," Aeric shrugged. They were running through practice ORC questions at Sirens, and even though Aeric had to quit his summer job there, the baristas still liked to treat him whenever he showed up (and even spelled his name right now). "And didn't you say you were hosting a private party at the Manticore's Tavern?"

Only because Corey insisted when Mom let it slip when his birthday was, and even though Barley had to cut down on his hours to only work on weekends now that he attended NMCC classes, she still insisted on shutting the whole place down that night to "celebrate the kid who helped me spread my wings" (Corey's embarrassing words, of course). The gesture almost seemed like _too much_ , especially since he'd been so _mean_ to Corey, and she really didn't have to treat him like he was something special, or even help with the cursed dragon. Nothing seemed to sway her from updating the website to boast that on the 18th, they'd be closed for a private event.

So Ian had no choice but to invite his friends and family.

He even extended an invitation to Barley's girlfriend, Athena, who genuinely seemed interested in the magic he could do, and could wrestle his brother to the ground even easier than Aeric could.

"Not by choice..." he grumbled, slurping up his iced blended. The math section of the ORC would certainly be the easiest, but some of these words in the Language section... who used the word "pernicious" on a daily basis, anyway? And why were these essay questions so _vague_? "Do the ends justify the means?"

 _Should I let more people know I can do magic_? he asked in his head, with a little chuckle.

"Hey, you went from going on a full-blown quest to something more low-key," Aeric pointed out, scribbling something in his ORC prep book. "I thought you'd be happy about that."

"I am," Ian agreed. At least he could finish the test in the time allotted, though he'd have to go through some of these words with Sadalia during lunch (in fact, _everyone_ in their friend group was going to her for ORC prep in that section—she should honestly start charging a fee). "I'm just happy you'll be there."

"You know I wouldn't miss it for the world, babe, you know that." Sure, the team had Saturday practice in the late morning, but Ian decided that he'd spend the morning with his family, and they'd have dinner at the Manticore's Tavern. Already Barley was trying to dictate the flavor of cake Ian should choose.

"I know." If he wasn't at practice, or in another class, or if Ian didn't have Chess Club, they spent every waking moment they could together. Sure, it was mostly studying, researching what made the perfect college essay and how to apply for scholarships, but just knowing he had Aeric and his support helped calm his nerves, more than his family ever could. Aeric had that soothing presence to him, usually excitable about their plans, beaming with such optimism that he gave off the aura like there was no _way_ Willowdale would reject them. Still, they both looked into other schools, just in case. "I'm just surprised just how much _changed_ in the past year."

"Well, last year you blew up the school," Aeric stated matter of factly. "If you hadn't done that, I wouldn't have known how to approach you. So, in a way... it's kind of the best thing that could have happened."

Aeric sure had a funny way of putting that, given the occasional teasing he'd gotten about it. "You know, I'm glad that's how you view it," Ian confessed. "I've said it so often, but I don't want to picture any other universe where we don't know each other."

"I wouldn't be nearly as happy, that's for sure," Aeric admitted. "But come on, let's not dwell on the 'what ifs,' especially when there's still a gazillion words we don't know on this list."

"'Substantiated,'" Ian read. "Who even uses that on a daily basis?"

"The pretentious asshats who designed the ORC to torture us?"

"Good point." Sighing, Ian took Aeric's hand across the table, before pouring into his test book like it'd determine his entire future.

* * *

By the time Ian's birthday rolled around, the swing of school became more rhythmic, coming out of the laziness of summer and back to a more rigid structure. Naturally Ian woke around seven (6:30 on school days... _ugh_ ), smiling as he eyed his calendar on the cork board, a huge circle over "17th birthday!".

Checking his phone, his smile only grew, because sent right at 5:15AM ( _how_ Aeric could still function waking so early always baffled him), a birthday text from his amazing boyfriend, with dozens of animated balloons, silly dancing dragons, and a ton of virtual hugs and kisses.

" _Just got up—I love you!_ " he sent back with a few hearts, stretching his arms over his head, warm sunlight peeking through the blinds. He bet Aeric was probably showering after his morning run and swim, working off his boundless energy. Some morning studying before practice, and another shower before heading up to the Manticore's Tavern. Much as Ian wished he could have more time (especially alone) with his boyfriend, maybe there'd be a little bit later on. And the amount of people slated to show up at the Tavern was _way_ more than he could have conceived last year.

Just for breakfast, his usual attire of flannel and jeans would suffice. Of course, he'd been thinking of the _perfect_ outfit to wear tonight, given the amount of pictures Mom probably wanted to take: floral printed capris, light, short sleeved button down. Wedges, probably (because it made kissing Aeric _that_ much easier, much as Aeric stated he liked when Ian grabbed his face and pulled him down into one). Something more low-key than a loud dress, as fun as that sounded.

Blazey greeted Ian in her loud, excited way as she tackled him at the bottom of the stairs, lapping all over his face. Would she ever grow out of her baby phase? Ian certainly hoped not; she was the perfect size as a lap dragon.

"Hey there, pretty girl!" Ian cooed, rubbing her belly. "You have a good walk this morning?"

"There's my birthday boy!" Mom rounded toward the stairs, holding a wrapped box. Presents already? "You excited for your party tonight? Colt's making waffles!"

"Waffles?" Ian repeated excitedly. Usually he had to stick with cereal or toast for breakfast, but it was nice to know that Colt was—honestly—a pretty decent cook. Better than Mom, even, but he would never tell her that to her face.

"Yep, your favorite—drenched in that chocolate hazelnut spread and honey!"

His stomach rumbled at the thought of it. Gently Ian set Blazey down and got back up, kissing Mom on the cheek. "Sounds great, should I set the table?"

"No, sweetie, I took care of that already. But here." She handed him the gift. "I thought you should open this one one from us, you know—just in case."

Sighing, Ian took the box over to the couch, wondering just what Mom decided to surprise him with—surely not as exciting as a wizard staff, but there was no need to go on a quest this year, right?

"Happy birthday, Ian!" Colt called from his station at the kitchen, pouring waffle batter onto the iron. "Making your favorite!"

"Oh... thanks, Colt," Ian replied shyly from his spot. Before he could open it, though, Barley barreled out of his room, immediately locking his gaze on Ian.

" _Is that the birthday boy I see_?" he bellowed, leaping onto the couch. With the way he jumped, Ian swore he lifted out of his seat for a split second before he was locked into another neck hold.

"It is—" he choked, "but get off, before I use magic on you—!" Gods, he hoped Barley at least decided to shower before they left for the Taven—he _was_ seeing his girlfriend tonight, after all.

"Not until you declare that Barley is the _mightiest_ warrior in the Western Realm!" Damn, the grip got tighter.

" _My birthday_ —!" he pointed out. " _I don't have to say anything that I don't think is true! Now let me go before my boyfriend finds out about it and kicks your ass!"_

Barley let go—but only with Ian off guard so he fell back against the couch. "Only 'cause the wrath of Aeric is not something with which one should tamper!"

"And where's my present?" Ian teased, rattling the box Mom gave.

"All in good time, Iandore, all in good time," Barley assured, patting his shoulder. "Open that up while Colt's making breakfast!"

Nodding, Ian carefully slipped off the bow, gingerly taking apart the wrapping. Barley had a tendency to tear apart wrapped gifts like he was being timed on Winter Solstice, but Ian liked appreciating the care Mom put into hiding their presents (especially once he learned how to wrap, too).

"Come on, you're seventeen! Tear into it!" Barley chastised, making the motions, but Ian ignored him.

After opening the box and gently moving apart the tissue paper, he gasped. One was a top, in the lightest of pinks, and layers of thin material, emblazoned with embroidered mushrooms, and the other a dress of the same print, ruffles on the skirt. Both adorned puffed sleeves, and both were so gorgeous they made Ian question which one he should wear tonight.

"Mom..." He was _actually_ speechless. "These are so gorgeous, thank you."

"Sale at the mall," Mom replied with a shrug. "I figured you were getting tired of wearing my hand-me-downs, so I wanted to get you something of your own."

Getting up, Ian hugged Mom tight, kissing her cheek. "I love your hand-me-downs," he pointed out. "Everyone at school thinks I'm vintage chic. But these are perfect. I can't wait to wear the dress on date night sometime!" The top worked perfectly with the pants he planned on wearing, and he certainly didn't mind showing that off.

"Well, I'm glad you're getting use out of my old stuff," she sighed, pushing his curls back. "And so much has changed in the past year. Seventeen is going to look so amazing on you, baby."

"Seventeen isn't much of a baby anymore," Ian pointed out, setting the box aside. "Last year I think you can even call me that, actually."

"Hush, you'll always be my baby," she teased, pinching his cheek. "Now, come on, Colt's finishing up your waffles and you don't want them to get cold."

* * *

Ian straightened out his new shirt, sighing as he looked over himself in the mirror. The mushroom printed top, given how light it was, worked perfectly with the floral pants and wedges he'd picked out earlier. Sure, Mom picked out something lower cut than he was used to, but Aeric would probably appreciate it. Just in case, though, he took a quick birthday selfie to add to his story. Knowing his boyfriend, he'd get a response in 3... 2... 1...

 _Ding_! " _That top_!" Aeric sent, with the heart eyes emoji. " _You look gorgeous, babe_!"

" _Thank you_!" Ian sent back. " _I can't wait to see you tonight_!"

" _I just hope I look even half as good as you_."

" _As long as we get pictures tonight, right? I actually feel pretty good._ " A rare sentiment, but Ian started to feel it more and more whenever he slipped into a nice pair of heels, or a brightly colored top or skirt. Maybe it was superficial, but... when he looked good, he felt _just_ as good, especially with Aeric.

" _Is the birthday boy ready for his escort?_ " Barley called from downstairs. Right. Time to go, for the night to start. He'd gotten a few birthday wishes from his friends, Parthenope in particular the most excited about seeing the new Manticore's Tavern (much as Ian tried to coerce her into joining them the few times he went over the summer).

After gathering his phone and spritzing on cologne (he never knew, especially with Aeric), Ian bounded downstairs, smiling fondly as he remembered how slowly he had to walk in heels the night of Spring Fling. Sure, wedges were just easier, but stilettos started to make more sense (especially since he had to repeat those expensive sparkly heels quite a few times).

"You boys go on ahead," said Mom, waving a hand. "We'll catch up a little later."

"O-oh." Ian blinked, grabbing his staff. He thought they'd all be going up together. "You sure, Mom?"

"Yeah. You go ahead and set up for your friends and make sure it's all going well with Corey. You know I trust you."

"Got it, Mom!" said Barley, grabbing Guinevere's keys. Well, he was being... rather okay with this. Maybe Mom had another cake in mind that she wanted to get last minute.

"I wanna fly," Ian decided once they were in the car, waving his staff.

"My sentiments exactly," Barley replied with a knowing smirk. "You're probably good enough to get us all the way there now, too."

"Well, I _have_ been practicing." Ian shrugged, trying to at least be a _little_ more humble about his abilities. He tapped his staff to the ground outside the van, then up to the sky. " _Avi Volanta_!"

Sure, it took more concentration to keep something as huge as Guinevere up in the air as she soared just over the highways (goodbye toll booths!), but hearing Barley whoop out the window as she flew as a mighty pegasus might have back in the day, certainly gave Ian the confidence boost he needed.

" _My brother is the greatest wizard in the Western Realm_!" he called, and from this high up, Ian really couldn't be embarrassed.

Unfortunately, he didn't make it all the way to the Manticore's Tavern, but he at least made it most of the way there. Instead of feeling disappointed, Barley just nudged his brother's shoulder and grinned. "Hey, you helped me save up on gas, and that's always a good thing."

After seeing how often Barley had to fill up (and how often) Ian certainly had to agree. He just rolled the window down and took a deep breath.

 _Seventeen_. A good year coming up ahead, if everything went just as perfectly as things were now.

"What time is Athena heading up?" Ian asked as they parked, stretching his arms over his head.

"Probably running up soon." Barley shrugged. "She always loves to stretch her legs. We're thinking about racing soon to see who's faster: her or Guinevere."

Ian pat the side of Barley's beloved van. "Guinevere is great, but I think Athena can outrun her."

"I think so, too," Barley agreed, his grin loopy and completely enamored. Ian could only imagine he looked the same when it came to Aeric.

When they entered the Tavern, Corey soared above them, dusting off armor that was so high up there was _no way_ anyone in their party could see it.

"Um... Corey?" Ian piped up, still gently.

"Oh, it's the birthday boy!" Corey called with a giant grin, quickly coming down. "You're both here kind of early—we're not ready yet!"

By the looks of it, with a giant table set up in the center of the Tavern, colorful balloons and streamers and confetti as far as the eye could see, and a giant banner blaring, " _Happy 17th Birthday, Ian!_ ", he failed to see how they _weren't_ ready.

"Wow, Corey, you really went above and beyond, thank you!" Ian grinned, going in for a hug once she landed. "Everything looks and smells amazing."

"Made your favorite, hun: griffin strips with extra sauce! And a salad for your Aeric, of course," she said, adding a wink. "Barley, sweetie, you mind coming to the back and helping me with a few of these trays?"

"Anything you say, boss!" Barley exclaimed with a salute, following her behind the doors.

"Um... Corey, you need me to do anything?" Ian piped up, holding his staff a little higher. He could be useful for his own party!

"No, no, sweetie, don't lift a finger!" Corey insisted, shaking her paw at him. "It's your birthday and I have _no_ idea if your mother will kill me if I made you work!"

"But I can—" But Corey already popped off to the back, cutting him off in her rush. Sighing, Ian decided not to try it, and just checked his phone. Texts from his friends that they were on their way, but surprisingly _nothing_ from Aeric. Hopefully practice didn't run late... But he wasn't sure who'd feel worse if he didn't make it: him, because his birthday just wouldn't be complete without his boyfriend, or Aeric, who wouldn't stop beating himself up for it.

All he could do was walk around the huge table Corey had set up, hands behind his back so he wouldn't mess anything up of her impeccable arrangement. She even had a "Birthday Mage" crown at the head of the table for him to wear (which he vowed not to adorn until he had her direct permission). On the walls, he observed a few pictures of him, Mom, and Barley on opening day of the refurbished Tavern, his magic on display as he levitated the ribbon off. Another few of him and Aeric on a few date nights, under "Fearless Questers!", along with little Kayla in another picture. A new map of the realm, as well as a display of Corey's tattoos and what they meant. Her Curse Crusher sword, locked behind a glass case and only used for _real_ quests (her show one was a _very_ convincing replica from a local blacksmith). Updated karaoke machine that didn't have a tendency to break down as often as it used to, and a few arcade games in the corner for the kids. Corey even had the fire blazing in the fireplace, nice and low to give the whole room a cozy feel. He liked having her over on occasion for family dinner, even if her wings accidentally knocked down a few things. She and Mom just got along so well—better than Mom and Colt, if Ian was being honest with himself.

The huge doors flung open, and while Ian fully expected Aeric to surprise him, it ended up being the rest of the gang, oohing and ahhing at the setup.

" _Happy birthday, Ian_!" they all called, showering him in huge hugs, kisses, compliments, and presents.

"Aw, thanks, everyone!" he chuckled, wiping Sadalia's lip gloss off his cheek. "I think Corey set up a table for gifts right over here..."

"Ooh, sweetie, with that outfit, you look like you're gunning for Best Dressed!" Sadalia complimented, helping him set down all the presents. Looked like she also picked up Tina's pattern of speech, too, always so chipper cheerleader.

"Thanks," he replied, unable to help the flush. "Not my intention, but turns out my mom was pretty stylish when she was around my age."

"I'll say!" Parthenope added, though her giant blue eyes darted everywhere around the room _except_ on what Ian wore. "Wow, this place is _huge_! She's not scary, is she?"

"Who, The Manticore?" asked Ian, cocking his head toward the swinging doors. "No, Corey's actually pretty sweet—"

" _Ian_ , are your friends here?" Corey bellowed, coming out of the doors with a few trays of hot food. Parthenope jumped at her huge voice, immediately hiding behind Gurge. "I have appetizers!"

"Oh, sweet, mozzarella sticks!"Gurge exclaimed, already grabbing one before Corey set them down on the buffet table beside the giant one she had set up for them to sit. "This place is awesome." It always baffled Ian that Gurge decided he could eat whatever he wanted, but _Aeric_ wanted to be far stricter with his own diet.

"Um, everyone, this is Corey; Corey, this is Sadalia, Parthenope, Gurge, Althea, and Kameron," Ian introduced, making sure to point everyone out. "They're some really good friends of mine from school."

"Well, welcome, welcome! We're almost done setting up here—just waiting on a few more guests before we can eat! But make yourselves at home! _Mi casa es_... well, however it goes."

"N-nice to meet you," Parthenope piped up shyly. Funny how she could handle even the craziest kids at school, but sweet Corey had her a little intimidated.

"Um... Miss Manticore?" asked Althea, raising her hand. "Are the arcade games working?"

"Oh, please, call me Corey," Corey insisted, waving her paw. "And they should be! Everything is available for you kids!"

"Sweet!" exclaimed Kameron, doing a fist pump. "I've always wanted to win something in those gauntlet machines—and now I can win something for my girlfriend!"

" You're too much sometimes," Althea chuckled, but took her girlfriend over.

Ian checked his phone again, but _still_ nothing from Aeric. What was going on? And where was Mom?

"Hey, birthday boy." Sadalia nudged his shoulder. "You're supposed to at least _look_ like you're having fun."

"I just..." Ian sighed, closing his eyes a moment. "I haven't heard from Aeric since before Barley and I left to get up here, and usually that's okay, but... I'm worried something happened to him."

"Aeric would _not_ stop beating himself up if he missed this," she assured, taking a veggie stick from a tray. "He'll be here."

He shouldn't worry. He should just... relax, right? These were the friends that showed up, some really awesome friends that he found who liked him for who he was. Who cared if his boyfriend wasn't here yet, though if nothing was wrong, he would have accompanied him here?

Yeah, this thought process wasn't helping.

"He'll be here," Ian repeated, but that didn't help, either. He just watched as Barley came out with a few more trays, and Corey with a few bottles of soda, punch, and water (and even a bit of iced tea—again, for Aeric).

It took Kameron a few tries, but she was able to win Althea a funny looking dragon from the machine (the easiest thing to retrieve). Gurge seemed to be a bottomless pit, munching on the appetizers in sight, and Parthenope did yet another lap around the Tavern, wanting to take in every bit of the décor. Ian even showed them a little display of all the newer, more complicated spells he'd been trying, earning an applause as he flew above them for a few moments. The magic, at least, didn't work terribly, now that it put him in a better mindset other than complete worry for where his boyfriend could possibly be.

Gosh, how long had it been; it seemed like _hours_ when Mom finally showed up. And, surprisingly, Aeric in tow, with Colt and Athena not too far behind. Looked like Aeric had enough time to shower and change, matching Ian's floral pants with a nice, floral print, short sleeved button down—enough to make them look absolutely wonderful in pictures together. The short undercut in his hair even looked and felt freshly maintained, his longer, swooshing strands on top all in place.

Immediately Ian ran to Aeric, leaping into his arms for a proper kiss. More than half the day gone, and _now_ he could finally embrace his boyfriend.

"I was getting worried," he uttered, nuzzling his face into his neck, the presence of his friends and family be damned.

"Happy birthday, babe. Trust me, I wanted to text _so badly_ ," Aeric admitted, setting Ian down. "But you'll see why I didn't soon enough."

Was Aeric alluding to some secret gift? One that _wasn't_ in his hands? At least now, with the food all set up, with everyone here, the party could _finally_ begin. Ian adorned his "Birthday Mage" crown, and Mom probably took enough pictures of this whole party that a slideshow would look animated. Aeric and Athena appreciated their salad alternatives (though Athena allowed herself a couple of mozzarella sticks, Ian noted), and Ian tried not to eat so much that he didn't have time for cake, which still had yet to make its debut from the kitchen.

"Wow, Barley, is that a _side_ salad?" Ian teased, eyes wide as he looked across the table. "You telling me your girlfriend got you to eat a _vegetable_?"

"What, like your boyfriend hasn't had the same influence!" Barley shot back, flushing. "But yes. They're not bad."

"He still douses it in too much dressing," Athena added as she tossed her red braid back, giggling. Her soft lilt always sounded so soothing—no wonder Barley was usually so calm around her. "But it's a start."

Fine, Ian indulged in a salad every once in a while, and he liked a decent veggie dip. But Aeric would have to pry his golden fried, crispy griffin strips from his cold, dead hands.

"Hey, whatever keeps us from indulging in the worst!" Aeric chuckled, biting into a carrot.

Mom gathered them all around for even more pictures when Corey brought the cake out, a two-tiered monstrosity that surpassed his every expectation, given the little elf figures on top seemed to be a warrior and a wizard: presumably for him and Barley. Everyone sang the birthday song as Corey dimmed the lights, and for once, Ian finally blew out all the candles (all seventeen of them!) in one go.

"Happy birthday, Ian!" Aeric repeated, swiping a bit of frosting on his finger, and before he knew it, it was on his nose! "Better hope that wish comes true!"

Of course, Ian really only wished for a seamless school year, admission to Willowdale with at least _one_ good scholarship, and a great future with his boyfriend—the usual, simple wish a teenager could make. Laughing, he did the same and swiped a bit on Aeric's cheek as payback.

Before Barley could lunge for the cake to do the same, Mom held him back. " _Oh_ , no you don't! No more damage to this amazing cake Corey spent time on!"

"But _Mom_!" Barley whined. "It's a rite! And Aeric got away with it!"

"Aeric wasn't going to dunk Ian's head into the cake and ruin the new top I just got him," Mom shot back, reading right through Barley's intentions.

"No way, Laurel," Aeric reiterated, licking away the frosting on his cheek. "He looks too good, and that top is perfect."

"Kiss ass," Ian teased lowly, wrinkling his nose a moment before he lapped up the frosting Aeric left on it. "Mm... buttercream, my favorite!"

Buttercream with chocolate cake and sliced strawberries, his _absolute_ favorite, it turned out as Mom and Corey cut into the cake and served his friends. Ian waited until last to grab his own slice, showing a bit of restraint, but given how huge Corey had made the cake (or ordered it?), there would be _plenty_ of leftovers for later. Hell, even Aeric grabbed a thinner slice, with more strawberries than pretty much everyone else.

"Everyone having fun?" Corey asked, making a few rounds to pick up plates, even though Mom tried her damndest to keep her from working too hard.

"Oh, yes, Miss Manticore!" Parthenope exclaimed quickly, insisting on using Corey's real title. "Your place is really amazing!"

"Hey, even I got a gift!" Althea giggled, gripping to her dragon as she kissed Kameron on the cheek.

"Corey, come on!" Mom called, beckoning her over. "Join us, already! You're practically one of the family at this point."

"Yeah, rest your haunches and wings!" Colt added, scooting aside so Corey had more room to sit with them. "You put this amazing party for Ian together, and you should enjoy it!"

"But, I—"

"Corey, _please_?" Ian all but begged, again showing off his huge eyes to hopefully sway her. "I want you to be part of my party, too. You worked so hard."

"We'll help later, dear," Mom added, placing a gentle hand on Corey's arm. "Let me cut you a slice of cake, okay?"

Corey conceded after a moment, joining them at the table next to Mom, who immediately served her a plate, going into full, well, _Mom_ mode, piling on so much that Ian wasn't even sure _Barley_ could finish such a meal.

Ian tried to stave off gifts until to last minute—sure, the day creeped to a close, but he had to bask in the moment: a _real_ birthday party, with people here who wanted to celebrate him, _with_ him. And sure, everyone took enough pictures to commemorate it all, but was it so wrong to think that he might wake up and have... none of this? No friend group, no Corey throwing him a bash, no Aeric? Or was that just too irrational?

"Come on, Ian!" Mom goaded, grabbing all his gifts in her arms to place in front of him. "It's present time! Open them already!"

Well, he couldn't exactly say no to her, not when she had her camera perched and her smile positively beamed, because she _definitely_ knew this was the first year Ian actually wanted a party, and actually had friends who wanted to celebrate with him. Sighing, he pushed his cake plate aside and conceded, starting with Athena.

From her: a tasteful leather cuff, very similar to the one she wore on her freckled wrist, with an engraving in another language he didn't know.

"It means 'brave,'" she explained, leaning into Barley's arm around her shoulders. Really, who would have thought a _centaur_ of all creatures, especially after he went toe to toe with Colt so often, would be the one to captivate him so much? "Barley's told me so much about all your adventures."

"It's gorgeous, thank you!" Ian complimented, slipping it on. Oh, he would certainly try to work an entire outfit around this one accessory for school.

From Gurge: a very generous gift card to Burger Shire, which honestly would be drained of its funds within the next few weeks, and a funny card to boot.

From Parthenope: her favorite hair products, especially for curly, untamed hair like theirs.

"Trust me, this changed my life!" she insisted, fluffing her hair at her shoulders. "You won't lose a comb in there again! It's like magic!"

And yeah, even Ian couldn't find a spell that could tame his hair in the slightest. Hopefully this helped—Parthenope's hair _always_ looked gorgeous and put together. "Oh, thanks! Looks pretty life changing!"

From Kameron: a shell ear cuff, no piercing required. It shone a rainbow of colors in the dim light of the tavern, and Ian couldn't stop admiring it. "It's gathered from shells locally!" she boasted with a grin.

"They're cured from abalone, right?" Aeric asked, brushing his fingers over the soft finish. "That's my mom's favorite."

"Mine, too!" Mermaids and their shiny jewelry—they found such beauty in little things, Ian started to realize.

From Althea: a custom enamel pin, a shield with the pan flag (confessed once he started to think into what attracted him—not just about Aeric, but others in general). An ally ship, Ian realized, from the President of LGBTQ+ Alliance. "I love it!" he exclaimed, holding it to his chest. Gosh, he wanted to pin it now, but he didn't want to poke a hole in the new top Mom gave him. Maybe his backpack—he couldn't wait to show this off.

From Sadalia: the most organized, custom notebook he'd ever laid eyes on, with tabs separated into categories, stickers to give it all a fun flair, and even a scheduler! "Well, I'm definitely going to break this out starting right about now?" he chuckled. "This is so perfect."

"Oh, I know," Sadalia laughed back, shooting Ian a little wink. Was it just him, or did Aeric's hand tighten around his shoulders a bit?

Two gifts left, and by the shoddier wrapping, Ian aimed for his brother's present first. Even still, he unwrapped it carefully, eyes widening at the content.

"My own copies of Quests of Yore?" Ian asked softly, almost in disbelief. He'd been sticking sticky notes all over Barley's copies, frequently having to share for his campaigns, and when he wanted to practice magic.

"Not just that, little bro: these include margin notes for your campaigns—or, in your case, practicing magic, of course."

Ian flipped through the pages of each volume, excited to finally transfer his notes into something he could keep on him, in his room, as magic guides that he didn't have to copy from Barley. "I can't wait!" he sighed, and he would definitely be practicing starting tonight.

And finally, from Aeric: the perfect pair of heels that matched his top (and the dress!). "You coordinated, didn't you?" he accused, looking between his boyfriend and his mom.

"Like I wasn't going to let you get a new dress without matching heels," Aeric replied, kissing Ian's temple. "There's something else."

And there, nestled in the tissue paper, a perfect remnant of everything this past year. He gasped, holding it up.

"It's not the real thing," Aeric admitted, kissing his cheek, "but I saw it and... it was you."

A replica Phoenix Gem necklace, accented by a delicate gold chain. Everything about the past year, the catalyst for everything that had changed since his sixteenth birthday. Ian grinned as Aeric secured it behind his neck.

"It's so beautiful," he complimented, playing with it, and how perfectly it nestled just above the cut of the shirt, as if that, too, had been picked out deliberately. "Wow, thanks everyone, really! These are such thoughtful gifts."

"Oh, you thought we were done?" Barley chuckled, getting out of his seat.

"Wh-what?" Ian blinked. He'd gotten gifts from Mom, Barley, his boyfriend... even Corey, who put this party together! "What am I missing?" Honestly, he had _everything_ now, right?

"Come on, sweetie!" Mom pulled him up by the arm. "It's just outside!"

Just outside? Ian's heart pounded in anticipation; he had a feeling at just what they were alluding to, but he shouldn't get his hopes up... right? But he followed Mom and Barley, holding onto Aeric's hand like he could tear it off at any moment.

And there it was, just next to Guinevere: an unfamiliar, gorgeous red hybrid, topped with a giant bow. Sure, he had his license, but he still liked to walk to school some days. But with _this_? He could finally take Aeric out! He could finally go downtown, if he wanted!

"You got me a _car_!" he squeaked, gripping onto Aeric's arm.

"It was Aeric's idea," Barley admitted, shrugging. "We asked Athena if her boss knew about any used hybrids, and we all kind of pitched in once it started to come together."

No, she didn't have Guinevere's personality. But Ian didn't want or _need_ a fancy car—just a functional one. Of _course_ he should leave it to Aeric to want something more fuel efficient (like his car), but knowing his boyfriend contributed even the tiniest bit for it with his hard earned money this summer had him once again realizing just _how_ special he was, how someone compassionate like Aeric didn't come by so often, and he was lucky enough to have him in his life, much as he wanted to downplay it.

"You all..." Ian sighed, bringing them in for hugs, even Colt! "This is completely above and beyond anything I ever wanted. I promise I'll take good care of her!"

"Well, I at least know I can trust you on that," Mom sighed, handing Ian the keys. A push start, even! "Go ahead and take her out."

"But... the cleanup..." Ian started. "There's so much left."

"It's your birthday!" Barley dismissed, waving a hand as he handed Ian his staff. "We've got it covered here. Go hang out!"

The smiling faces from his family at least let him feel better about the decision. His friends grinned over at him expectantly—and yeah, now there were _three_ cars between all of them so they wouldn't have to all cramp into Gurge's van. Looking at round, though, he noticed something. "Aeric, where's your car?" he asked. "And where's Mom's?"

"We drove yours up here." Aeric shrugged. "That's _kind_ of why we were a little late?"

Gods, he had the best boyfriend in the realms.

* * *

After some Master FroYo with the gang, where Ian was able to get away with a free yogurt on his birthday, everyone else called it a night. But Ian wanted to get used to his ( _his_!) new car, taking it for a bit of a joy ride all the way up to the lookout with Aeric, overlooking the city at night. The lights always drowned out all the stars, but the moons shone perfectly, and the glow from downtown seemed to ground the city, an assurance that it wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon. Ian sat on the hood with Aeric, making sure not to lean into it too much, like she was fragile (and she'd need a name soon).

"Is it bad that I worried so much about you?" Ian asked, leaning into Aeric's arm around his shoulder, playing with the Phoenix Gem necklace. Gosh, now he wanted to coordinate every outfit _just_ around this one accessory. "I knew it wasn't normal to not hear from you like... every two seconds."

"Believe me, I wanted to." Aeric chuckled, kissing Ian's temple. "But I was sworn to secrecy. I almost let the ball drop a couple of times when I thought about it! And even more once I saw your family was seriously considering it."

"A car..." Ian sighed. "I can't believe you love me enough to _want_ to get me a car. But all that hard earned money for Willowdale..."

"You're worth it," Aeric dismissed. "Even if what I contributed wasn't much, everyone was more than happy to pitch in, from your mom and Barley, and Athena, and even Colt... it's 'cause you're worth it to all of us. Because we all love you."

"I love you, too," said Ian, realizing it was the first time he'd said it out loud all night. So weird, honestly—almost like a day just couldn't be complete without that assurance at least once. "Our senior year is going off without a hitch, I have a car, I have you... is it just me, or is it gearing up to be a perfect life?"

"Gods I hope so," Aeric sighed, directing his gaze completely to Ian. He saw the city lights reflected in his huge glasses. "If I get it all figured out now, with you, it's all worth it."

"I guess we're pretty lucky then, huh?" Ian asked, shifting in a little closer, leaning in.

"I'm the luckiest son of a bitch in the realms," Aeric replied, nodding before he closed the gap between them.

And now that they were both seventeen, both on this same page with the stars to witness everything they wanted to promise to each other, all Ian wanted was things to stay just like this.

Everything he wanted was right here in his arms, on his lips, completely surrounding him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a tiny bit of plot development in this heap of fluff. But we need the fluff. Don't worry, the angst and plot will be coming soon!
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.


	3. Beautiful and Delicate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mysterious figure approaches Ian with a proposition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely a shorter chapter than the previous two, but those were honestly mostly setup. We're starting to get more into the main plot, now!

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 3:** _"Beautiful and Delicate"_

Ian had been to every single pep rally through high school, but he honestly never knew what one _actually_ entailed. Usually he hung at the back of the bleachers, balancing his books in his lap as he tried to work on homework while announcements were made, so he'd have a little extra time to goof around at home.

Spirit Week also had never been something he cared about until he started dating one of the most popular guys at school, always opting for his usual gear of flannels and jeans (and he still had never considered the absolutely amazing benefits of finally wearing skirts), instead of trying to fit in with the themes set out.

Certainly not the case this year, though (and technically not last year, given it was during the period of time when the school was, well, _destroyed_ ). Ian sat toward the front of the bleachers with his friends, completely in the moment as the respective team took the field. Instead of ignoring, Ian screamed for Aeric, for Sadalia, for Gurge. He chanted along with the cheerleaders, waved at Aeric from the bleachers and knew the kiss he blew back was meant just for him. Sure, he still didn't really understand the game, but... he tried!

During the pep rally, their principal announced their Homecoming Court: as everyone predicted, Aeric was crowned King, Sadalia Queen—and Ian honestly didn't think he'd be friends with _one_ of the Court, let alone _dating_ one of them. The surreality of one year passing! It still never stopped working wonders.

Sure, the announcements were a little boring, just going over the rules for Spirit Week when it came to what to wear (Flannel Friday! PJ Monday! Teacher Tuesday!), but Ian had been planning outfits in his head, discussed ways to make them coordinate with Aeric to just keep, well... being themselves. That's how they won "Most Magical Couple" in the last yearbook, after all.

After school, Ian drove up close to the field, beeping at Aeric politely after he emerged from the locker room, sharing a friendly conversation with this year's team captain (Peter, if memory served). "Hey, Hot Stuff!" he called from the open passenger window, shooting his boyfriend a flirty wink. "Want a ride?"

Just a joke between the two of them, of course. On days where they got out of school at the same time, they carpooled, of course, and Ian just _had_ to make up for all the times Aeric would drive him, now that he had his own car. But wow, he never thought he'd ever have the freedom to say _that_ to someone.

"Why? You offering, stranger?" Aeric joked back, plating right along. For _once_ , Ian wanted him to be the one flustered and unable to form a complete sentence from something he said.

But he still played along, just shrugging. "Whaddaya say?"

Aeric said his friendly goodbyes, then climbed into Ian's car, reaching over for a quick kiss before buckling in. "You're only picking me up because I'm Homecoming King, aren't you?"

"It doesn't hurt," Ian shrugged, before driving off. In this case, much as he really liked people knowing who he was in hallways, Homecoming King or part of the court just didn't appeal to him. Now, when Aeric mentioned _prom_ , on the other hand...

"So... Alysha's 18th is tomorrow at the country club." Alysha was this year's satyr cheerleading captain. "We're going, right?"

Ian sighed. "Only if we get a practice test in first and an outline for college essays." How was he supposed to balance his new social life with how everything seemed to double down when it came to school? Nothing too bad with homework just yet, but... the year was just starting.

"An honest man keeping me honest with work." Aeric, of course, didn't let this faze him, but he'd been popular for so much longer. He _knew_ the balance, and with the different ways they operated, Ian wasn't sure how he could start keeping up. "I mean, we have tonight to work on those things, too. Not to mention all the study hall we have together..."

"Last week we both snuck out so we could—"

" _Alright_ , alright, you have a point." Ian couldn't help but smirk; out of the corner of his eye, he watched Aeric flush. "So we don't always study during study hall. But we can start getting more serious about it now!"

"It's not that I don't want to go—I really need a reason to break out that new dress," Ian explained. But he'd never been to a _country club_. The way Aeric acted so casually about it, he could only surmise that he'd been, probably more than once for a sweet sixteen or something like that. "But I just..." Ian sighed; he wasn't sure. Sadalia and Gurge would be there, but the rest of the group just didn't know Alysha enough to warrant an invite, and Ian couldn't help but feel _weird_ about this split. Not that he knew her well either, but his connection to Aeric was too much for anyone to simply ignore.

"Yeah, I think I get it." But Aeric didn't elaborate past that, so Ian really didn't know if he did or not. Probably not. He probably thought Ian's fears came from being in a new place where it could get uncomfortable, but it was more of the social circle. It was wondering if, when they went, he'd be in a good place mentally, when he wasn't stressing about the ORC or the fact that Willowdale only had a 24% acceptance rate or if the Lightfoots qualified for grants and financial aid on top of all the scholarships he was thinking about or if writing about Dad would be too cliché a topic to write about.

And their daily amount of homework. That, too.

"We'll have fun," Aeric assured, as Ian's grip tightened around the wheel. "Senior year is supposed to pretty much be a breeze once those applications are in."

Could it just be second semester then, already?

* * *

Saturday came and went in a blink, Ian alleviating at least a bit of his stress with Aeric as they finished everything he had planned (and made a list for) before Alysha's party. And yeah, while it wasn't _black tie_ specific, Ian still dressed up in the nice mushroom print dress Mom got him for his birthday, and the heels Aeric gave to match, and Aeric even slicked his hair back like for Spring Fling, clad in a button down, blazer, and nice slacks.

He didn't know what it was about this party, unlike all of Tina's ragers from last year, but there was this feeling of hollowness he couldn't help but shake. Maybe it was the fact that all their friends weren't there, and even worse, there were _name tags_ in the ballroom to indicate where they'd sit, which was with some other players on the team, and not Gurge and Sadalia. And while yeah, Aeric did a great job integrating Ian into the conversation, Alysha made very little effort to make her rounds like Tina always did. She spent more time fixing her lipgloss in her compact mirror and surrounding herself with her inner circle, which included Sadalia, and that kept her occupied for most of the night.

Given Aeric drove, Ian spent quite a bit of the night with a drink in his hand. And the drinks made the music feel better, the loneliness he couldn't get rid of dissipate, even with his boyfriend there. Aeric did absolutely nothing to stop him or even really ask how he was feeling other than the occasional, "You okay, babe?"

That's what the party was, he realized. A pristine, beautiful thing on the outside, with its floor to ceiling windows, impeccable flower arrangement centerpieces, and lavender theme down to the ribbons tied on each chair to the rings on each porcelain plate, and accents on the delectable cake... but so full of _nothing_. At least, to him. But the drinking, like Aeric had explained back before they met, made that vapid feeling muffle in the back of his mind, as opposed to being front and center.

"You look gorgeous," Aeric kept saying with assuring kisses to his neck as they danced to a stale beat Ian couldn't recognize. They even had photos from the vintage photo booth Alysha rented to commemorate the night, a few of them getting just the slightest bit handsy. And yet, when Ian looked at them the next morning, his head pounding, they didn't make his heart flutter like his phone wallpaper did (a sweet selfie Aeric captured as he kissed Ian's cheek).

Barley brought up aspirin and something he called "headache juice," which tasted like absolute garbage, but did allow him to sit up a little straighter in bed. Noon already? They hadn't partied _that_ hard—at least, Aeric hadn't. Ian, while still lucid and remembering everything, wanted to just crawl back into bed.

"Have a little too much fun?" he asked. "I covered for you at breakfast this morning."

"Thanks." Sighing, Ian downed the rest with a wince. "Nah, it... wasn't that great, not gonna lie. But it wasn't Aeric's fault or anything. Just wasn't feeling it, even if he was." At least, when they were alone together, things seemed better between them.

"Hey, you wanted to be Mister Popular." Barley took back the glass. "Or maybe "Or maybe you could learn how to tell your boyfriend _no_ every once in a while."

He could, he supposed. But Ian didn't like telling Aeric no. He was lucky enough to be dating someone like him—and maybe he still thought his position, having the friends he did, was precarious. A ridiculous notion, sure, but telling Aeric no might start creating rifts in their relationship... right?

Besides, he should be trying to have more fun senior year. He'd kind of been a little stick in the mud at the party just not having more friends around, and he didn't _try_. Besides, it wasn't like he wasn't looking forward to Spirit Week, or the Homecoming Game. He just... needed to try a bit, after all. They were about to go to college, for gods sakes!

"Yeah, well... I gotta study, anyway," Ian decided, not wanting to dwell on it any more and start stressing.

"You both study too much. College isn't the end-all, be-all that your boyfriend is making it out to be."

"Yeah, but... I want to go where Dad did, you know? And if I can go _with_ Aeric..." He shrugged, knowing Barley would be able to put two and two together.

"Ah, young love." Barley sighed, starting toward the door. "But I am rooting for you kids—don't think I'm not."

Of course, he thought about, again, the fact that they seemed to be _so_ engrossed in each other, thinking that a high school romance might last forever. He _wanted_ it to, anyway. "Okay," was all he could tell his brother, though.

* * *

Spirit Week ended up being a _much_ better experience. On Sunday Ian made sure to assure Aeric that he was feeling fine, if not a little tired, and took the time to just study by himself, focusing on making a good essay about losing Dad and finding magic to try and find ties to him. Maybe magic was the key to making that essay stand out a bit more, he figured.

But by Monday, he was smiling, dressed up in PJs as he picked Aeric up before school (Aeric had practice; Ian had Chess Club).

"You bought a matching pajama set just for today, didn't you?" Aeric accused with a raised brow, as he came in with his usual tee and flannel bottoms (usually he wore boxers, but obviously that wouldn't fly at school).

"What? I wanted to look cute!" Ian defended, looking down at his satin short sleeve button down and capris with floral print.

"You're always cute," Aeric retorted with a chuckle. "But I'm definitely not surprised at how seriously you're taking this."

"Hey, three years of sitting on the sidelines. Better late than never."

Wednesday, though, that's when it happened.

The group had all decided to pick slips on who they'd dress up as for "BFF Wednesday," opting to do it as a group as opposed to Kameron and Althea, and Ian and Aeric dressing up as each other, with the other four amongst themselves. Ian had Parthenope, donning a cute sundress with a couple barrettes in his hair. Sure, she didn't wear shoes, but Parthenope did let him know that if she did, they'd definitely be his favorite pair of wedges. Gurge got Aeric, which no one realized until the whole group was together given how similarly they dressed normally, and Kameron donned a NMHS varsity jacket, too. The group even garnered enough attention to warrant Jax, one of the heads of yearbook this year, to snap an official photo in front of the school, slated to appear in Class of 2021's Spirit Week.

Aeric got Althea, which had him almost giddy with the prospect of wearing the pride pin on his lapel (and he looked pretty damn good in those jean capris, too). Ian realized he'd never seen his boyfriend in flannel up until this point—and was even unaware that said boyfriend even owned anything with a plaid pattern.

"Did I mention that you look amazing?" Ian asked, giddy as he snapped probably the hundredth or so picture of them for his story.

"Did I mention that _you_ look absolutely adorable?" Aeric retorted as they walked out of school, headed straight toward Sirens for their weekly study session.

Ian scrunched his nose, wrapping an arm around Aeric's waist. But then there was this feeling—not like a headache, but this twinkling in his head, almost like a suggestion that had never occurred to him. He furrowed his brow, because it had to come from somewhere, right?

His eyes scanned the sea of hundreds of students, classmates he'd seen of all shapes and sizes over the years as they walked to bus stations, or parking lots, or parents' cars, or just off to after school hangouts. But just ahead of them, parked in a fifteen minute zone, there sat a vintage red and white convertible—like something out of an old movie, almost. The elf standing to the side of the passenger door seemed in her early thirties, and in her heels, her height rivaled Aeric's. Her pin-straight, navy hair was pulled back into an immaculate tail that fell around her waist, blunt bangs framing her sharp, narrow face, and bold, diamond earrings dangling from her long, pointed ears. Unlike Ian's bright, flown sundress, her dark dress hugged her hourglass figure like a glove. A few students gawked at her car, and Ian noticed a couple of boys gawking over _her_. Her slanted, grey eyes followed him as he and Aeric descended the stairs, the beauty mark just to the right of her lips twitching as she smirked at him.

"Iandore Lightfoot," she stated as he passed.

It was enough to get him to stop, and to keep Aeric from moving on, too. Immediately he flushed; he still wasn't used to conversing with new people (much less gorgeous, intimidating people) in any of his new, more feminine looks. "Y-you know me?" he squeaked, unable to really speak up. He'd never seen her before.

"This is you, isn't it?" she asked, holding up a phone. Surely enough, there was that crude, shaky internet footage someone took of him fighting the school dragon right after his sixteenth birthday. Ian felt Aeric's hand squeeze around his shoulder, and he realized this was the first time his boyfriend watched this, and until now, had only had the events described to him.

"Yes..." he replied slowly.

"Impressive." She pocketed the phone, her single silver bangle knocking against her thin wrist. "I've never seen a novice wizard use arcane lightning before."

"It's the only time I ever did," he admitted. Gods, he hoped she wasn't judging him too hard for wearing a dress and heels. It was for Spirit Week, after all! It didn't look like she was... right?

"Well, the potential is still there, that's for sure." Seemingly out of thin air, she produced a cream colored business card, handing it to him. "We'd love to have you."

Ian took the card, reading it over. "Victoriana Ayers?" he asked, trying to confirm the name. And then, underneath: _The Order of the Gifted_. "There's no address here."

"Use the direction spell to find us," she explained. "We're meeting six in the evening on Friday."

"Wait, like... a whole band of wizards?" Aeric asked, finally speaking up. "There's more?"

"We're a small group, gathered from around the area looking to learn more about magic," she replied with a nod. "Why, are you Gifted as well?"

"Who, me?" Aeric gave a nervous chuckle. "Nah, I'm only lucky enough to be dating Ian. Wow, babe, there's actually a community of wizards you can join! That's so exciting!"

"So, we'll see you, then?" she—Victoriana, Ian could surmise—asked, raising an arched brow.

"Oh, I—" And then Ian remembered what _Friday night_ was. "I... can't. It's the Homecoming Game, and I have to support my boyfriend on the team."

"Ian..." Aeric tried, but he knew what he'd say, so he just tightened his grip around his waist to stop him from talking. But no. He wanted to go to one of the most important games of the year. Do it because _he_ wanted to, and not just what would make Aeric happy.

"I see." Instead of looking at him, she just scanned her steel gaze over Aeric, as if scrutinizing him like a bug under a microscope. Aeric's grip on his shoulder tightened again. "Next week we'll be meeting as well, same time."

"Sounds good," Ian replied, looking at the card again. He could at least excuse not going to an away game.

She left them at that, just slipping into her car and driving off. Did she use magic to tap into his head? No, right? Or could other magic users and wizards just... sense each other? Ian had no idea how to describe the feeling when he saw her other than... awe. And she hadn't even done anything.

"You think she's for real?" Aeric asked, his eyes glued to her car until he couldn't see it anymore. "You really think you might be able to meet other wizards?"

"I dunno..." Ian uttered, still looking at the card, nervously shuffling it between his fingers. "I'm honestly a little scared to find out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise to color a drawing of Victoriana... someday. Might need it in the form of an ask on my side blog, though.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.


	4. Magnify the City Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian attends his first meeting and meets a rather eclectic group of fellow wizards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's really been a hell of a week, losing so many coworkers in a massive layoff (and I still have yet to hear anything about the state of my own job). I took on a month long Inktober alt, too, and even though finding the motivation to write was practically nonexistent, I still pushed through just to get my mind off the state of things.
> 
> I hope you enjoy more of the plot coming up.

**_Please Remember Me Like This_ **

**Chapter 4:** _"Magnify the City Lights"_

Well, it was a good thing Ian stuck around for the Homecoming game—the Dragons absolutely dominated, and Aeric even threw two touchdowns. Had he missed it, he really would have regretted it, even with the prospect of learning more about magic. Luckily, Victoriana did mention they had a meeting the week after, during any away game (Ian rarely attended those—though now he could with his car).

"You sure you don't want me at this game, too?" Ian asked Aeric during study hall, looking up from a draft of his boyfriend's essay. Talking about that, at least, would be easier than trying to edit this. How was he supposed to critique something so moving about how much of a difference his mom made in trying to pursue his dreams? It was already the perfect essay to get him into Willowdale! Ian found himself near tears when he read Aeric state that he had to wait seven years for his mom and how life changing it was to be at their wedding!

"Yeah, babe, it's not the end of the world," Aeric assured nonchalantly. Unlike Ian, he didn't have nearly as difficult a time dissecting his essay, circling something with a red pen. "Besides, if you keep putting this off just for watching me, you're never going to make it to a meeting. Why, are you scared?"

"I mean... a bit," Ian confessed lowly, sighing as the words on Aeric's paper just didn't process right to him. "What if I go and I'm not what she's expecting? What if she thinks I'm weird 'cause the one time she saw me, I was in a dress? What if she wants me to do arcane lightning and I can't and that's like, the only way I can get in? What if—"

Despite them being in a class, their teacher just liked to sit at the desk, playing solitaire as opposed to actually watching anyone, so Aeric was able to get away with leaning over to kiss Ian quickly to shut him up. "What if you go and you meet a hot wizard who's absolutely superior to me in every way?" he retorted, though the playful smile he tried to put on looked a little... sad.

"That would never happen," Ian said, very matter of factly. "I bet no one else is going to be out of high school, anyway. And besides, no one's going to look nearly as good as you do."

"Ah, so you're only dating me for my looks. I get it." At least Aeric could kind of joke around about this, though Ian didn't think it was fair how much his boyfriend undermined himself just because he didn't have "The Gift."

"You _are_ beautiful," Ian assured. "But you're also smart and talented and you're definitely gonna become Salutatorian and the whole class knows it. And you got to do that all without magic."

"Well, if you have no problem complimenting me, then I can at least say with upmost confidence that this group is going to adore what you can do. You've shown so much improvement in your magic even over the summer. And I think at this point, if the group is so small, beggars can't exactly be choosers." Aeric shrugged, going back to Ian's essay after pushing his glasses up his nose.

"So you think I'm just a last minute addition to some elite group?"

"What? _No_." Aeric sighed, pausing his leg from doing its usual jiggling whenever he did work. "That woman, right? She mentioned how impressive it was that a novice wizard could do arcane lightning. Obviously there's something there she wants to work with."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Sighing in concession, Ian looked back to Aeric's essay. "I guess I just wish you could be there with me to help with the social stuff."

"You're your own person without me," Aeric chuckled, reaching over to squeeze Ian's shoulder. "And they're about to find out just how amazing you are."

Pep talks from his boyfriend. He might just need them before he headed off to this meeting... and maybe during, too.

* * *

Flannel and jeans. Couldn't be too flashy, right? Especially when she knew him from some bad internet video from last year? This was the safer option for a first meeting, that's what he kept telling himself. Maybe later they'd be okay with flashier options—who knew who he was going to meet tonight.

" _Hey, good luck tonight! I'll literally leave this game if they end up being a bunch of weirdos_ ," Aeric texted before Ian left. Ian could bet Aeric just got to the away school's locker room, getting ready. Gosh, if these meetings ended up being on a bunch of Fridays during school games, Ian really didn't know how often he would attend—Aeric had _always_ been more important than mere magic.

He held the card up, keeping the location in mind as he grabbed his staff reciting, " _Navivera_!"

From the staff came a flash of blue light, shooting outside his window toward the meeting. "Hm... looks like the community center," he uttered to himself, making sure to keep it all going as he grabbed his wallet, phone, and keys (now adorned with a custom keychain with the fun name "Lightheim" embossed in rune, courtesy of Aeric). Of course, hard to get away with leaving the house quietly when there was a blue light coming from his staff.

" _Wow_ , Ian, is that the direction spell?" Barley asked, actually combing through his hair, for once—which could only mean he had a date with Athena tonight.

"Uh..." It had just occurred to Ian that he still hadn't told his family about the weird proposition to meet a bunch of other mysterious wizards. "Yes?"

"Why aren't you just using your GPS?" Mom asked from the kitchen, as she started to prep a protein shake. The headband only meant she was about to ready herself for a Mighty Warrior workout. "We made sure your car had one."

"Uh... I wanted to practice magic instead!" he lied. Look, he'd tell the truth once he figured out if these people were for real or not! For now, just a little white lie would be okay, right? "I want to try out a new spell to see whether this or the GPS is a better navigator..." Oh gods, he was the _worst_ liar; Mom was totally gonna see right through him...

"Ah yes, the tried and true mission of testing magic versus technology!" Barley boomed, going as far as to name one fist "magic" and slam it into his other palm. "I'm sure you'll find magic is better than any computer."

"Computers run by a bazillion satellites who know _exactly_ how to find you," Mom pointed out. "As long as you're safe. I didn't know you were going to Aeric's away game."

Oh. So that's where Mom thought he was going. Maybe Ian could just roll with it, and he could text Aeric for an alibi, if he needed to. "Um... _yes_! Last minute decision. We're doing pretty well on college app progress, so I thought I'd cheer him on."

"Well, all right, be good." It worked! "Say hi to Della if she's there."

Mom and Della had actually hung out a few times after their first double date during Spring Fling, and honestly, it was enough for Mom to seriously be a little more lax when it came to hanging out with his boyfriend (for the most part). But for his sake tonight, he hoped she wasn't there. "Will do!" he called, heading out the door before they could pester him any further. "Bye! Love you!"

He felt like he could breathe a sigh of relief as he got in his car, starting the ignition. The GPS blared at him from the center console, and Ian contemplated plugging in the community center to see if he was right. But he decided against it, opting to instead just connect his music and rely on the magic to lead him to this meeting. Just a few other wizards in the area that might become his friends! If they liked him, that was...

" _I'll let you know if I even pick up the nerve to even go in..._ " he texted Aeric back, before he buckled in. " _Do you think we can meet up afterward and just talk?_ "

5:45. He should really get going; Aeric's reply would just have to wait. The blue light adjusted depending on Ian's direction, and all he had to do was follow it in order to keep up. A really easy spell; he really should have considered it when it came to finding the Phoenix Gem in the first place! (But this was something to think about when it came to whenever his next quest happened to be.)

Turned out, he was right about it being at the community center. Sure, Ian understood _why_ Victoriana had asked him to use magic to find the location—in order to prove he and anyone else she wanted to find could—but for some reason he thought they might be meeting at some old stone apothecary from way back when or something. Not a location so... normal.

Ian took a deep breath, taking a sharp grip on the wheel. What would Aeric or Barley say? He checked his phone to see Aeric's reply.

" _For sure. We can meet at the lookout after the game, if your meeting runs that long. Good luck, babe_!" It seemed like a final text, before he had to lock up his phone before the game.

Aeric would want to see him in there, asserting himself and letting others know he could do magic, and so would Barley. And in reality, it _shouldn't_ be scarier than crossing a bottomless pit or facing a dragon or asking a hot guy on a date, and yet...

"You are Ian Lightfoot," he told himself, remembering all the times Aeric said it to him. "If you can nab your own boyfriend yourself and navigate high school, you can deal with a couple of wizards."

Other wizards. Even thinking that brought a slight surge of excitement—other wizards who, like him, were probably looking for a community. _Anyone_ else who were going through the same thing. After taking a few calming, deep breaths, he finally got out of his car, with a couple of minutes to spare before six.

He followed the blue light inside the community center down the empty halls to a warm glow from a room. To his shock, just outside was a pixie, using the same spell to reach the same location. Ian blinked; it was surreal to see _anyone_ using magic outside of him.

"H-hi," he said slowly, approaching her as she floated before him. Unlike the Pixie Dusters, she donned a little skater skirt and tasteful blouse. "You're here for the meeting?"

"Oh, yes—I couldn't make it last week," he admitted, though she probably would have known that already. Ian opened the door for her. "It was the Homecoming game at school."

"High school, huh?" She flew in, and Ian shut the door behind them. "I think you're the baby out of all of us here."

Great. That might be used against him in this environment. "Is your staff a splinter?" he asked, pointing at it with his own.

"Yup! Passed down through the generations! Legend says it might have come from Zantar's staff itself."

"Mine is, too!" he admitted. "Not about the Zantar thing, but the splinter! I used the growth spell because mine was flung—"

"Hey—you're that kid from New Mushroomton High!" she interrupted, flying a little closer. Ian almost had to cross his eyes to keep a good look on her. "The one from that viral video last year! So cool how you can do arcane lightning!"

Did... everyone know about what happened on his birthday? Ian licked his lips, unsure of how to respond to that.

Luckily, Victoriana interrupted, heels clacking as she stepped up to Ian and the pixie. "Iandore," she said, her voice as cool in tone as ever. "So glad you could join us this week. We're sitting in the circle, and some have even brought refreshments."

"O-oh, thanks." Ian clutched his staff close to his chest, tightening his grip around it. Something about her stature, the collected way she held herself, had him on edge. If people brought refreshments, was he supposed to, as well? What if he made a mistake before even starting?

"Come on!" the pixie goaded, leading Ian toward the center of the room, where a few other creatures had set up a circle of folding chairs. Off to the opposite wall was the refreshment table, with a few trays of cookies and fruit. Someone even brought a carton of coffee!

Ian helped himself to some of the snacks on a small plate, hoping not to take too much. Maybe the food would ease his pounding heartbeat. Something told him Victoriana might even be able to sense it—he didn't know what it was.

He sat in an empty chair, and the pixie joined him. Just as he wondered who'd join his other side, Victoriana stepped right up to the chair, but didn't sit. She instead just grabbed her staff, which, unlike the others Ian saw about the room, had an aura of crookedness, like it'd been used and worn in since the dawn of time.

"I apologize if introductions at a second meeting seem redundant; unfortunately, we were missing a member then, who is here with us now. So, if you don't mind, we'll reintroduce ourselves around the circle." Victoriana stepped forward, stilettos echoing in the large room. "You may call me Victoriana. She/her pronouns, please. I've made it my mission to discover the potential in wizards like yourselves, and cultivate that magic into endless possibilities. While I hail from the Northern Realm, the draw to magic has led me to New Mushroomton... and to all of you." Instead of gesturing to Ian next, however, she gestured to the satyr sitting to her left.

The satyr stood as Victoriana sat, and Ian noted she crossed her ankles, and not her legs. He didn't think he knew anyone outside the royals he saw on TV cross their ankles naturally.

"Uh... hey again," said the satyr, waving. "I'm Carlson, but everyone calls me Carls. I'm 26. She/her, please." For a satyr, she was actually pretty tall, a couple of heads over Parthenope, and she wore her blonde hair in a messy bun. "I guess you can tell by the scrubs that I'm a nurse—I'm actually in nursing school right now, and I'm doing my best to keep Friday nights free just for these meetings. I figured out I could do magic one night playing Quests of Yore and the staff we thought was just a prop ended up almost blowing up our dorm with the fireworks spell! Now I mostly use magic to translate to coworkers with the language spell, but I've always wanted to learn it in terms of self defense."

A nurse who needed self defense? Ian wondered why.

The gnome sitting next to Carls stood next, but instead stood on the chair so the group could see easier. Unlike the cone hats most gnomes were known for, this one opted just for a beanie, kind of like the ones Barley always wore. "Hi again, everyone. I'm Parker. Please use they/them pronouns with me." Ian had to admit he was impressed; not many classes or clubs where introductions were the norm didn't really ask anyone what their pronouns were, except LGBTQ+ Alliance—he wondered why it wasn't the norm when it was just _so easy_ to address. "I'm 24, and right now I'm working at an accounting firm. My mom could do a few spells, but she's otherwise a non practicing wizard, so I have her staff. I guess I've always known how to do magic, but I don't think I've ever met anyone outside my family who could do it."

Then the troll next to Parker stood, fidgeting with his staff. Ian always envied all the shades trolls could come in—purple, green, red, like this troll. Elves could only come in various shades of blue and purple (though, admittedly, they went with a lot of amazing colors). He wore his auburn hair up, kind of like how Aeric did when he worked out. "Hey, everyone, I'm Ferry, he/him. I'm 20, finishing up at NMCC and hoping to transfer over to Knolling Hills. I've only been able to do magic for a few months but really all I can do is some basic spells, so I'm hoping to get better at it soon."

Next, the elf next to Ferry stood, and Ian realized that only he, her, and Victoriana were the only elves in the group—and he really appreciated the diversity. She showed off her insanely curly hair without shame, letting the tendrils fall over her back and shoulders. Her makeup skills honestly rivaled Tina's, unafraid to wear her eyeliner with bold wings, her metallic eyeshadow making her dark eyes stand out more. Honestly, with her asymmetrical silver skirt and heeled combat boots, she was the style icon Ian didn't know he needed in his life. "Hello again! I'm Morgana, she/her pronouns. I'm 22, and I just recently graduated from Willowdale with a degree in communications, but right now I'm just a freelance photographer. Lately I've been using magic to help with interesting lighting, and to capture relics from the past here in the present. At least, that's the type of portfolio I'm going for."

Yup, Ian definitely wanted to be her. He made a note to get in touch with her for pointers at how he and Aeric could get in.

After Morgana, the only centaur in the group stood, a little shy with how difficult it'd been to sit in the first place. Ian kind of knew that secondhand embarrassment from Colt, and now Athena, and gosh, there really weren't enough accommodations for centaurs when it came to chairs and space, were there? She had a black mane, with white atop her hooves, her pin straight hair the same raven shade—yet she kept hers cropped short into a bob. "Um... hi. I'm Liliana, or Lili if you want. She/her, please. I'm 19, taking online classes right now. I play a lot of Quests of Yore online, and magic is kind of a secret, to be honest. Only my dad knows I have the Gift, but my favorite spell is the invisible bridge."

And then, a cyclops. He was built a lot like Gregor, Tina's ex-boyfriend, with broad shoulders and a slightly stocky build (perfect for a QB, according to Gurge). "Hey everyone. I'm Cord, 22, he/him. Just graduated from Crystalwood, and right now I'm just taking up odd jobs trying to save up for law school. My whole family does magic, but it's also kind of just our little secret. I'm kind of tired of hiding, you know? That's why I'm so happy this group exists now."

Next was the pixie sitting next to Ian, who had been so friendly on his arrival. She hovered above her seat, brushing her hair from her ear. "Hello again! I'm Rosalinda, but please call me Rose. She/her, please. I'm a line cook, but one day I would _love_ to own my own restaurant! Unfortunately I didn't supply the snacks for this meeting, but I promise I can for any of the other ones! Using magic to help me cook and bake has just been so helpful, especially with the animate spell!"

All these diverse creatures, using magic in their everyday lives, with their lives ahead of them filled to the brim with possibilities! When Rose sat, Ian realized all eyes on him, and, well, he couldn't hide from them anymore. Had everyone seen what he'd done with magic? Should he even try to explain at this point? He leaned his staff against the chair and stood, wiping his hands on his jeans as a way to be aware of them—the last thing he wanted to do was shove them under his arms like he still occasionally did.

"U-um... hi. I'm Iandore, but everyone calls me Ian, except maybe my brother." Was he already rambling? "I'm 17, he/him. I missed last week because it was the Homecoming Game at school and I wanted to support my boyfriend."

"What position does he play?" Carls piped up.

"Oh... he's a runningback. He's playing pretty hard this year because we're looking into scholarships for college," Ian replied. Hopefully that wasn't too revealing...

"Cool! I used to be a wide receiver back in high school," she said, smiling up at him.

Ian was about to ask how that was possible, but held his tongue the moment he got it. "Well... maybe you can help me try to understand the game sometime," he said instead. "Aeric's been trying for half a year now and no luck."

"And when did you first discover you could do magic, Iandore?" Victoriana pressed, trying to get him back on track.

"Right!" He could feel the flush forming on his cheeks. "Last year, on my 16th birthday. My dad ended up leaving us a staff to use after he died, and wrote a visitation spell using a Phoenix Gem assist." Out of the corner of his eye, he noted Victoriana's grey eyes widening, perched upright in her seat. "But the first attempt was pretty terrible, so my brother and I ended up having to go on a whole quest to find another one which is where I learned how to do a few more spells—and then my school turned into a dragon. And I guess that got leaked online, so... yeah. I've been practicing a little since, but right now I'm more focused on school and getting into Willowdale with my boyfriend."

"So you're really open about using magic?" Lili asked. "You haven't really been judged for using it?"

"Well... I mean, I didn't really have a choice about hiding it," Ian pointed out. "I guess you all saw me doing it, and so did the school. But I kind of keep it separate. I don't want anyone thinking I use magic to get ahead in grades and stuff. That doesn't mean people didn't tease me about blowing up the school afterward." Except Aeric. Aeric had _thanked_ him because he had the opportunity to practice at Willowdale, which honestly was the cause of the immediate attraction (besides the obvious when it came to his physique, of course).

"Yes—I've yet to see a wizard use arcane lightning within their first day of learning. You, my boy, are rather gifted," said Victoriana, standing again. With her graceful transition, Ian quickly sat back down, shutting up. He really _had_ spilled too much. "Like I had mentioned previously—you're all here because you have something very few possess: a Gift. A Gift that gives us endless possibilities, and you have yet to unlock that potential. You're special. And yet, most of you have been taught to hide due to fears from the past. Magic isn't something to be feared—it's a tool that will only _enrich_ your life."

Ian nodded along with the others in agreement. Not that he'd ever really hidden, but he wondered if Dad ever had to, because he wasn't sure if Mom would understand, even when he was sick. He wanted to know what the group's stories were, too.

"I've taken time to select you because you're _young_ , and _vibrant_ with life. You're the future of this craft, of teaching magic to the next generation, and generations to come. To bring it back to what it once _was_ , and show it can work in tandem with the technologies we have now. Yes, magic is difficult to master. But that's what _I'm_ here for."

And with that, Victoriana grabbed her staff. She didn't even have to _say_ anything; she was so in tune with her Heart's Fire that the lights flickered, the snacks levitated, a progression of _colors_ erupted from her staff as she levitated for a moment. Ian watched her usually stone face break into the barest of smiles, her dark hair whipping around her back, completely in her element at her demonstration, and he _wanted_ it.

"I'm going to teach you to hone in your Gifts, no matter your level of skill. Some of you will get it easier than others, but the point of our group is to help each other grow together." Her voice boomed throughout the room, amplified rather naturally. Victoriana floated back to the ground, landing just as gracefully as she'd started.

"Now... shall we begin?"

* * *

Ian ended up in a group text with the rest of the members (sans Victoriana), a place where they could all communicate outside the meetings, set up last week. It meant Ian also had Morgana's number in case he wanted to ask any Willowdale related questions—if he ever worked up the nerve, anyway. He might have to bite the bullet in the name of higher education for him and Aeric. Not that he didn't like the group; on the contrary, they all had questions for _him_ and how _he_ had mastered magic so quickly. Because of magic, he wasn't a weird anomaly at school... he was one of _them_ now.

The meeting let up before Aeric would be out of the game, so instead of hanging out with the others for drinks at a local bar (not like he even _could_ , if he wanted), Ian decided to surprise Aeric with a few slices at Pizza Realm, topped with pineapple and griffin, their favorite. He waited at the lookout, noticing that Aeric had sent him his ETA and would be by in just a few minutes. In the meantime, he checked the group chat. Obviously not much outside the occasional meme found online, given most of them were still together.

" _Why are we meeting on a Sunday next time?_ " he decided to ask, thinking that someone might have an answer.

" _Who knows_ ," Cord replied.

" _Probably to keep anyone else off the scent if we suddenly have new people infiltrating who can't do magic_?" Lili guessed.

" _It'll probably be in a different location,"_ Ferry pointed out. " _I hope we learn whatever magic she's using to keep changing the location, but the card still works to wherever it is_."

Wow, talks about magic, with people who could _do_ magic! Now Ian found a group who would understand if that mentioned any struggles about splinters, about how one said the words, how to get the _perfect_ stance without it looking too unnatural. A group with real feedback, outside of the wonderful encouragement of Aeric and his family.

Ian ignored the incoming texts as Aeric pulled up beside him, and luckily the pizza was still pretty hot. On game nights, Aeric left his glasses at home and opted for contacts instead. Strangely the glasses fit more, especially with his hair down like now. Still didn't stop him from being adorable.

Aeric smelled like body wash, like he did after every game. The longer tufts of his thick, teal hair were still damp, and Ian greeted him with an enthusiastic kiss, smiling into it as he backed his boyfriend against the hood of his car, before climbing onto his lap.

"Whoa, hey, babe," Aeric uttered in between kisses, pulling Ian in by his waist. "You're in a good mood."

"I missed you," Ian lamented with a sigh. Kissing Aeric now felt akin to coming home, like he was completely solid and had nothing to worry about anymore. "How was the game?"

"Good—" Not like Aeric could really reply when Ian preoccupied himself with kissing every part of his boyfriend's face and neck. "Pretty narrow victory but Gurge played a great defense in the end there. How was your meeting?"

Aeric had been so intoxicating that for a moment Ian actually _forgot_ everything he wanted to gush. "Amazing," he sighed, crawling off his lap so he could reach into the car for their food. "I got you some dinner!"

"Well, we _did_ win..." Aeric sighed, conceding. But Ian had ordered light cheese and thin crust in advance, trying to keep his diet in mind. "Once decent sized slice won't hurt. But you don't want to hear about the game. I'd rather know everything about this magic meeting. They're not mean, are they?"

"No, they're really nice!" Ian assured, knowing if he said anything even _remotely_ negative Aeric would go after the whole group with his bare fists. "It's a little weird, though... I'm the youngest one there, but I'm going in with almost the most knowledge about magic. They're all either in college or done with college, but... we're all pretty young. Under thirty. But I don't know how old Victoriana is."

"She looks anywhere between twenty to fifty," Aeric pointed out, before taking a bite of the slice. "She has one of those faces. But you made new friends?"

"I _hope_ so." He kept his fingers crossed, that was for sure. "They added me to this group chat for meetings, and there's this one elf who just graduated from Willowdale, so I think I'm going to have to get friendly with her for some pointers!"

"Please, babe. Any info that you think will help us out there. I actually scheduled an appointment for us during study hall next week with the guidance counselor to help us out with that." Of course Aeric would be so considerate about getting them scheduled together.

"Why are you the best?" Ian asked, leaning his head against Aeric's shoulder as he looked out at the view of New Mushroomton. He used to feel isolated from it all, like an anomaly that might not have belonged, but everyone from the group hailed from this city. For once, he started to feel like he might have a place, outside of his friends, his boyfriend, even.

"'Cause all I want is to be the best for you," Aeric confessed quickly, leaning over to kiss the top of Ian's head. "Can you tell me anything else about the meeting, or is it some sort of secret society the plebs like me can't even fathom imagining?"

"You're _not_ a pleb," Ian assured, taking another bite of his pizza and taking time to think about how to answer. "Everyone was really nice. There were snacks and I got to practice some magic with everyone else. All we did really was an exercise where we levitated a ball across the room to each other, but I think it'll get more advanced the more we meet up, which is on some kind of arbitrary dates and locations now. Victoriana, though... she can do magic without even reciting spells, and can do _so many_ all at once. I didn't realize you could do more than a few! She's amazing!"

Aeric hummed, trying to absorb his words as best he could. It wasn't the first time Ian wished his boyfriend could do magic, too, so he could understand _everything_ about how doing magic felt, how amazing it was to see other wizards. But who was he kidding? Aeric would _always_ be perfect. "She must be pretty advanced then," he said, impressed. "You finally have a magic role model who can keep teaching you."

"Well, my dad is _always_ going to be my first magic role model," Ian assured. "She's pretty amazing, though. She has more confidence in her pinky then I'll probably ever have in my entire life. We're meeting next Sunday, by the way. I guess there's a change of time and location in case there's anyone faking it, I guess? I wish you could join us, though, even just to observe."

"So we're not going to study together?" asked Aeric, voice pitching up like he was hurt.

"You know, we can meet up earlier. I know it's the day after the ORC." Gods, he still didn't feel fully ready for it. "We just probably can't have dinner with your parents."

"Damn. Mom's gonna be sad about that one. But this is more important."

"No it's not." Ian shook his head. "You'll always be more important to me than magic."

Aeric stayed silent for a moment, probably to hold his tongue. But it was true! Ian would drop this cool group if his boyfriend needed him in a heartbeat. "I'm not going to hold you to that. You could always change your mind once you see all the amazing things you can do outside of what we do together."

"Never," Ian promised, kissing Aeric's cheek. "Awesome as this group is, I don't think I ever will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll see more of the group working together in meetings. Right now I'm coming at it more as an observer to keep up the mystery.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated, especially during this uncertain time.


	5. City is a Graveyard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aeric convinces Ian to take a tour of Willowdale before a party, which doesn't work out as well as he hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been another hard week with so much going on. But I promise I want to keep delivering chapters on time to everyone.
> 
> With that said, the Halloween chapter is up now! I'm glad I could get it done as scheduled.

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 5:** _"City is a Graveyard"_

"So... Tina invited us to the Hallow's Eve party her sorority is throwing."

"Really?" Ian blinked, looking up from his Calculus homework to smile at Aeric. Even though they had half their classes together, they never really got to talk unless it was during study hall. "You think that's okay even though we're measly high school seniors and she's in college?"

"It's gotta be, right?" Aeric shrugged. "It's not like she's doing it out of obligation. I think she actually wants us there so we can see what a Willowdale party might look like."

"Wow... a real college party," Ian murmured, looking off for a second. It'd never been something he really fantasized about, at least, not until dating Aeric. "So we dress up and everything?"

"Seems like. Although I was thinking..."

And Ian got it right off the bat. "You wanna tour the campus first before the party?" he guessed, glad that he was getting better at knowing what his boyfriend was thinking at pretty much any given moment. At least, it seemed a little easier, and Ian felt like he could relax a little bit, now that they'd filled out the majority of their applications, sans ORC results and polishing off their essays for early admission.

"Well, wouldn't that be great?" Aeric asked, trying to goad him on. "It's on a Sunday, so most of the campus will be empty, and we can get a feel for it. By this time next year maybe we'll be doing the same thing! Holding hands, walking around Willoughby Hall and the quad, studying outside..."

Ian tried to picture it, but given he had yet to tour the campus, or see it like Aeric had, when the team had to practice at Willowdale during school repair. Sure, both his parents had gone there, but given Barley had no plans to attend college until now, Mom never took the time to explore.

"Hallow's Eve this year is supposed to have full moons," Ian said, just a little randomly. But he remembered Victoriana mentioning it at the last meeting. "Apparently it's the best time to be in tune with some powerful magic."

"Ooh, spooky." Aeric nudged Ian's shoulder playfully and lightly with his own. "I bet everyone will love if you show off what you've been learning in this _secretive_ club of yours."

Given how private Victoriana was about meeting locations, or even any real details about her own life, Ian didn't feel very comfortable relaying any information or things he learned about magic to anyone, not even Aeric or Barley. Hell, he just _barely_ had gotten around to telling Barley that he found a wizard community, but felt awful once he had to dash his brother's hopes and dreams by saying he couldn't attend simply because he didn't have "the Gift."

"I mean, the staff goes with the costumes. We'll see if Tina's sorority is okay with magic first." But he loved what he learned—the past few meetings had been about using nature as assists with staffs: planting seeds, multiplying pure coffee beans, growing plants. Ian could probably start a garden in the yard, if he wanted to. Showing it off would definitely be fun, especially since he hadn't seen Tina in a while.

"I'll ask," Aeric sighed. "You've been kind of secretive with the magic thing, you know. I miss when we'd just toss a ball around in the park or that time we flew my car to the lookout..."

Ian felt the guilt tug at his throat again. There was something he'd been working on that the group didn't know about; like Dad, he started to make a few of his own spells (albeit way simpler than, well, raising the dead for a day). Maybe he could tell his boyfriend? It should be okay, right? Dad believed magic should be used to help people and should be shared!

"I miss that, too," he admitted. "I'm just not sure what we're allowed to tell or not. But, uh... I _have_ been developing a few spells that don't need any assist items..."

"Ooh, spill, now!" Aeric set down his pencil and inclined closer to Ian.

"Um..." Well, now he thought it might be embarrassing. But if he said that, he knew Aeric would assure him that anything he did certainly wouldn't be so. "So... Mom's been trying to help save up for college so I've been wearing a lot of her hand-me-downs. But I've been wanting some new patterns and designs for clothes so I've been trying to work a clothing manipulation spell. Is that... weird?"

"No, that's resourceful!" Aeric replied immediately, grinning. "I was wondering where you kept getting all those amazing shirts and skirts. I was worried you went shopping without me or something."

Ian looked down at the metallic skirt he wore today, definitely influenced by Morgana's futuristic style. It'd been manipulated from one of Mom's old skirts from college. "Maybe we could use it on the costumes. Transform them into something normal while we're touring the campus, and then reverse the spell before the party so we don't have to change in a car or bathroom."

"I love it!" Aeric replied, a little too loud to the point where the teacher had to shush them. "Whoops... but yes. Let's do that, okay? Any chance to see what you can do with magic is a good excuse to use it, right?"

"I guess so," Ian chuckled, reaching over to squeeze his boyfriend's hand quickly, before they went back to work.

* * *

As promised, Ian transformed their costumes once Aeric came over to pick him up for their Willowdale tour in the early afternoon. Sure, it was a little weird to put on their respective mage prince and knight costumes (the idea being Aeric's, with some influence from Barley; the vibrant turquoise and purple shades with Phoenix logo being his own), but Ian was able to turn Aeric's into a pair of jeans and a sweater with jacket, and his own into a sweater top, tasteful skirt, and heeled boots. Perfect fall outfits for their tour and for the weather.

"Wow, babe, you're getting really good at making your own spells!" Aeric complimented, looking himself over in Ian's mirror. "That group is doing well for your self confidence, that's for sure!"

"Shh!" Ian still had yet to tell Mom about the group (he would soon!), and of course Aeric wanted to use a louder voice when it came to lavishing him in compliments. "We should get going though, yeah?"

"Yeah. I know a pretty good coffee place right off campus. The whole community around Willowdale is actually being great, for being in the city proper." The plan was to grab coffee, walk around campus, grab dinner, then attend the party (after spending most of yesterday making sure all their homework was done).

"Ooh, Ian, did you transform my clothes again?" Mom asked as they headed downstairs. She and Colt we just watching a movie, something they hadn't caught in theatres but was now on streaming. "You look so chic."

"No, it's just our costumes transformed." Ian smiled; Mom had been so supportive of all his clothing choices and how he decided to present himself now. Sure, he loved being a guy, being comfortable in jeans and flannels, but it was nice to look pretty in skirts and heels sometimes, too.

"Why that?" Mom asked, curious. "You spent so much time making them over the summer."

"We'll wear them properly in a bit," Ian assured, twirling his staff around in his hands. "We're actually going to tour Willowdale first."

"You what?" Mom moved from Colt's arm around her to get up. "Baby, why didn't you tell me? We could have taken a tour another time."

"I dunno, you're busy." Ian shrugged. And was it uncool to tour a campus with his mom? Aeric would definitely say no; he'd boast that Della was his mom the whole time. "We'll be okay. Aeric's practiced on their field before."

"Right, right... Well, be on the lookout for the Laurel tree in the art garden on the north side of campus."

"The... what now?" Ian blinked.

"Your dad, he..." Mom sighed, pushing her glasses up. "I haven't gone there since he died, but your dad planted a tree in the art garden our senior year because he said it was more dignified than carving our initials in some bark. There's a dedication and everything. I hope you can find it."

Why didn't he know about this? Was Mom really that broken up about it still? "Why didn't you tell us?" he asked lowly. He felt Aeric's hand assuringly squeeze his shoulder.

"Still hurts to think about sometimes," she admitted. "I also wanted you to choose Willowdale only if you really wanted it, not because you owe your dad and I anything."

Nodding, Ian could only hug Mom, a little numb as he processed this information. He stayed just as silent as he got in Aeric's car, slowly buckling up. As expected, Aeric already had a Hallow's Eve playlist set up to get them in the mood.

"You okay, babe?" Ian noted that Aeric waited to ask that once they were alone.

"Just... I dunno why she wouldn't tell me that about him." His voice was barely above a whisper. "I always wanted to know little things about Dad, and this one seems pretty special."

"Well... we'll find it," Aeric promised, starting their drive toward the city proper. "And who knows? You'll probably make some grand, romantic gesture for me during our senior year there, too."

Ian couldn't help but smile at that. "It's going to be the other way around, and we both know that."

"You never know." Aeric shrugged, smiling over at Ian for a moment. "You always find new ways to sweep me off my feet."

* * *

Given that they could take advantage of weekend parking rates (free!), Aeric parked in the structure across the street from Sorority Row and figured they could walk the campus, and the town surrounding. Ian had always known that Willowdale resided in the nicer part of town, where it was surrounded by the beach to the west and famous shopping centers to the east, but the trees seemed to grow richer, the cars more expensive, the houses nicer. It made their comfy mushroom abodes look almost dinky in comparison.

"And you used to come here to practice?" Ian asked, eyes wide as they seemed to have no sense of direction. Where should he even look first? The Sorority houses to his left or the beautiful brick campus to his right?

"The practice field is more toward the southwest side of campus," Aeric explained, pointing his chin in that general direction. "We're kind of hugging the south side to reach the little town at the bottom of this hill so we can grab some coffee."

Or rather, so Aeric could grab some coffee. Of course, the only coffee place in the town just happened to be the inferior Satyrbucks, nestled across the street from an old theatre—the type that still used curtains over the screen and only showcased one movie at a time. Students sat outside the little shop with their laptops, clad in sweats as they sipped espresso and poured themselves into assignments, needing the open air as opposed to the stuffiness of dorms and apartments, Ian figured. Aeric grabbed his non-fat latte, and grabbed Ian a pumpkin spice iced blended, perfect for the season.

Once they got to campus, and Aeric started to point out names of buildings he'd figured out during his time here, Ian tried his damndest to picture himself in the shoes of the troll across the way, engrossed in his music as he shuffled around to the imposing brick library. But it all seemed so... foreign. Like he was here physically, but couldn't see himself, or even worse, Mom and Dad, traversing the halls. Aeric, on the other hand, breathed in the open air, pointed out grassy areas on the quad where he'd love to just sit and read, or better yet, read and work out. Ian tried to see himself sitting next to Aeric, helping him out like when he helped at his place or at the park, but it _wasn't coming to him_. Was it supposed to just click? Wouldn't it? _Shouldn't_ it? All he could do was blankly stare and hope he could see it in a year, nodding and humming with Aeric occasionally as they walked around campus hand in hand.

Aeric took them down the giant flight of stairs that overlooked the west side of campus, and in the distance, Ian noticed the field, where the team had practiced as he'd helped rebuild the school. He could picture Aeric there easily, running around the field, throwing the ball to a fellow teammate (and picturing his boyfriend in a bun, shirtless, never hurt, either). What was the problem? Didn't he want to come here with his boyfriend? Where his parents went?

He should tell Aeric, right? Each step they took down was another opportunity to say, "Hey, I'm not feeling this, yet, or ever," and yet... They wandered the field. They passed the old gym. They made their way to the central hub, which housed some chain restaurants and boasted the Willowdale bookstore. Ian even bought himself a griffin keychain for his car keys, and noted that he was _definitely_ coming back to at least get Aeric his Winter Solstice gift... but he couldn't shake that hollow feeling that kept nagging at his chest.

 _I'm still applying_ , he decided as he made his purchase, smiling shyly at the troll student clerk behind the counter. _Nothing would be worse than having to break up with Aeric over where we end up going to college_. That, and Ian had never even _considered_ any other school—Dad had gone to Willowdale; therefore, Ian had to attend, too. He finally started fitting into his old sweater, after all.

"LARP prop?" the student asked, pointing his nose at Ian's staff. "Or just part of a Hallow's Eve, costume?

"N-no—I mean yes... I mean!" Gods, Ian still couldn't talk to people. "I-it is part of a costume for later. But it's also a real wizard staff."

"You're a wizard?" His eyes widened, but not really out of interest—almost like he was about to shrink back in fear.

"Practicing," Ian murmured, suddenly ashamed of his Gift. No wonder Victoriana was keeping their group secret, and why so many others had kept the Gift hidden, and he never had that luxury. He finished up quickly and followed Aeric out.

"You've been really quiet," Aeric pointed out, after they took a selfie with Geoffrey Griffin, the school mascot statue. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Ian assured, grabbing his boyfriend's hand. "Just a little shook. The cashier in there seemed kind of scared when I said I could do magic." If he said anything about school, he knew Aeric would be showing him every nook and cranny in an attempt to make him fall in love. "No one's ever really had that reaction before..."

"He just doesn't know you," Aeric assured, trashing their finished coffee cups. "You've always used magic responsibly, and that doesn't make you a freak, or scary. I can go back in there and kick his ass, you know."

"No—don't, please, babe." Ian squeezed his hand tighter, because he _knew_ Aeric would, too. "It's just a little funk. I'll get over it."

Aeric hummed, contemplating it a moment. "Alright. Let's go find that tree."

The art garden on the north side of campus seemed more like an outdoor area where Ian would love to study. The south side included more of the STEM buildings and classes, but Ian could actually picture himself here, and he immediately understood why his parents had loved it so much. Unlike the sterile, crisp topiaries in the quad, Ian could see a few caterpillars in the bushes, the crooked ways the trees grew around student art projects that surrounded the secluded area. He could finally take a deep breath and _smile_.

"I think this is the first _genuine_ smile you've put on since we got here." Of _course_ Aeric knew. Nothing really got past him when it came to their relationship. "I know thinking about college is insanely scary. Hell, I've even had a few bad dreams about it—starting all over away from home and everything. But then I think about being able to do it with you and... I dunno, it's just not as scary anymore if we're together."

Nodding, Ian leaned over and kissed his cheek. It wasn't like this one thing dissipated the slight hollow feeling that still resided, but it certainly helped. And then he saw it, out of the corner of his eye: a little plaque sitting in front of a pretty sizable tree.

"Aeric, this has to be it!" Ian dragged his boyfriend over so he could read the dedication out loud. "' _A Laurel for my Laurel. May this tree outlive us both and inspire everyone who sits under it. Love always, Wilden._ '" And then, underneath: " _Wilden Lightfoot, Class of '95_."

"That's so romantic," Aeric pointed out, his voice in a hazy trance. "I might propose to you here someday."

Ian couldn't help but laugh at that. The separation didn't feel as prominent now that he was this close to something of Dad's—how nice it would be, to study here with Aeric because this was _their_ tree, just as it'd been his parents'. "I guess I'll expect it if you ever get down on one knee," he joked. Of course, he did make a bit of a promise that he'd be open to marriage if they were still together after college. Aeric seemed pretty keen to keep on track with that. "I just want to sit here for a little while, is that okay?"

"Yeah, we're pretty much done with our impromptu tour anyway. And I know how much this means to you." Enough to take pictures in front of it, of course, and send Mom pictures of it to show her it was still here. If Dad were still here, Ian knew he probably would have been made aware of this place years ago. He even gathered a couple of leaves and seeds for home, maybe to plant one in their yard, if Mom wanted. Victoriana _did_ mention she wanted everyone to bring a seed to the next meeting, as they were going to learn how to use more assist objects with magic (not just gems, it turned out).

They grabbed dinner at a nearby café off campus, just to try out some local cuisine ("Maybe this will be _our_ place once we're here!" Aeric almost joked), and by the time they got to the Xi Phi Ro House after dropping off their leftovers and bookstore items at the car, the full moons shone perfectly to give everything a perfect vibe for Hallow's Eve. He showed Aeric just how to reverse any simple spell, which required circling the affected subject and chanting, " _Novis Spellentia!_ " And sure, Ian would miss his cute fall outfit, but he could always recreate it soon, and he had a bunch of pictures from today to remember it. For now, he'd let everyone wonder where he got their outfits, and Ian could brag that he made them.

Given the door had already been propped open, and other enthusiastic partygoers filed in, Aeric and Ian just followed suit, Ian holding tight to his hand, surprised he hadn't pulled it out of his wrist socket.

Because Ian started to recognize faces from high school parties last year, already feeling a little more comfortable with the fact that he and Aeric were upperclassmen. But now? They were the lowest of the low: high schoolers posing in a college party. And even Ian could sense Aeric's unease—he shifted closer to him and licked his lips, trying to find some way to fit in.

"Did you text Tina?" Ian asked over the loud music.

"Yeah, but she didn't tell me what she'd be wearing!" Aeric replied, looking around. Maybe they should look for drinks? But that might be a dangerous combination given how shy they both could be in uncomfortable social situations, and from what Ian knew, Aeric coped with it by drinking.

"The beer is good!" Aeric noted when they found drinks. "Someone actually wanted to bring a proper six pack instead of a keg."

"I like this punch!" Ian noted, downing the green liquid someone mixed.

"Careful, babe!" Aeric noted, tilting his chin at his cup. "One time someone handed me absinthe at one of Tina's parties, which looks as green as whatever you're drinking. I straight up blacked out after some point, and the only thing I remembered was that I'd hooked up with someone."

Ian flushed; sometimes he still had a hard time coping with the fact that his boyfriend had been with other guys before him. But then again... Aeric's knowledge made him a lot easier to talk to about any weird questions he might have, at least. And, well... Aeric _said_ he loved being with Ian like that. And when they finished this drink and moved onto another, the music drowned out a little more, and Ian even bopped along to it, realizing that he hadn't let go of Aeric's hand _once_.

"You made it!" Tina wore some version of a... sexy dragon, Ian wanted to guess, with her fake wings and extremely tight dress. He never understood costumes like that, honestly, but she seemed happy as she kissed their cheeks. "And you look so good! Aeric, you're a knight, and Ian?"

"A mage prince!" Ian shouted over the music, twirling in his robes. "Hence the staff! I made them!"

"Gosh, you're so talented!" she sighed, looking them over again. "How's the home front, boys?"

"Hey, we're doing just fine so far," Aeric assured. "Your squad is great, we've been playing well... and I think we'd be great Prom Kings."

"Yes!" Tina assured, fixing the fake horns on her head. "Gregor and I had _so_ much fun at prom! You're gonna vote for the venue soon, right?"

"Student council is thinking either the observatory or the top floor of one of the hotels out here," Ian interjected. "I'm for the observatory, of course, but Aeric is torn."

"The observatory would be so cool, but at the hotel we can rent out a room for the night..." Aeric pointed out, kissing Ian's temple.

"You're not ruining this boy too much, are you, Ian?" Tina giggled, deciding to be cheeky as she blinked her giant, blue eye at him.

"N-no!" Ian flushed again shrinking back a bit. He was about to ask how Tina knew that, but then again, she _was_ Aeric's best friend who had seen him through thick and thin as they navigated popularity together—and that included the aftermath of a few parties.

"He is; he just won't say it out loud," Aeric replied, playing along. "I'm beyond happy, Tina. We're seriously gonna apply for early admission together."

"Well, good luck!" Tina waved over at someone she recognized. "College is _amazing_ so far! Though I wouldn't do frat life, babe, those boys don't really vibe well with you, okay? And don't worry—if you need me for anything, I'm around! Just holler!"

"Um... she seems really happy," Ian pointed out as Tina kissed a centaur who just entered, who neither had seen before.

"As long as she's not with Gregor," Aeric muttered behind his beer, and Ian pretended to ignore him, given he still wasn't sure what Aeric's beef with his former team captain was. "I know you barely know this, but we look out for each other. Another big reason why I wanna go here."

"He wasn't... I mean he didn't..."

"No, no," Aeric assured. "He just wasn't a good listener." And he left it at that.

Ian just hummed, following Aeric around as they checked out the crowded house and made rounds, all these gorgeous guys and girls from all walks of life in costume, living to the fullest. Every time someone asked about how unique their costumes were, Ian got to brag that he'd made them over the summer, which garnered some excellent attention from the other partygoers. All the walls were littered with sisters past and present, and maybe it was because he was two drinks in, but one of the elf sisters from the nineties looked _eerily_ like Mom (but on second glance, definitely wasn't). He even raided the bags of candy that'd been left around the lower floor of the house, on a nice sugar high.

The only time he took his hand away from Aeric's happened later in the night when he noted someone about to knock over the entire drink table in a drunken state, and he was ready with his staff, despite having a few drinks in his own system. " _Aloft Elevar_!" During one meeting, Victoriana taught them to fling proper spells as quickly as possible, and Ian couldn't believe just how much he actually _knew_ , and had to help Lili and Ferry as best he could. The table froze, and Ian gently set everything back as best he could.

Half the party looked at him in shock. "Holy Shantar's Talon," someone said, and Ian felt like the music had dimmed, just a bit.

"That's a _real_ wizard staff?" one of the elf sisters asked, a hand over her mouth. "I thought it was just a prop..."

Ian shrunk back behind Aeric again, wishing the ground would swallow him up. Gods, he loved doing magic, but why were people here trying to judge him for something he tried to hone in? Where he tried to help them? No one at school acted this way...

"Hey, he saved the drink table!" Tina piped up, noticing what was happening from across the room. She even made a point to grab another drink, handing it to her centaur beau. "Ian is an absolutely talented wizard and this is way better than cleaning all that up!"

"I didn't say anything terrible," the sister replied, almost defensively. "I was just surprised, is all." She turned to Ian, flashing him a smile he didn't trust. "Thanks."

Ian couldn't find his words. All he could see were eyes on him that seemed to come in closer, and the music suddenly pumped in his ears louder, and even though Aeric was right next to him, he couldn't see him. Instead, all he could do was head outside. Too many people... too many eyes on him.

Aeric was just behind him, a hand on his shoulder. The cool air from out here definitely helped with how stuffy it'd been inside, and he could try to _breathe_.

"Ian? Babe?" His voice sounded so distant, muffled under the sound of his own racing heart. "If you can hear me, can you count to ten with me?"

"Wh-what?" Why was it so hard to speak?

Aeric didn't mind kneeling down beside him in the grass, taking his hand. "Let's count, okay? I'm right here with you. One..."

Ian counted along slowly, closing his eyes and finding his breath, despite it being labored. When he finally got to ten and opened them, he realized he had his staff clutched to his chest. "I'm sorry..." he sobbed, grabbing Aeric's tunic.

"Why are you sorry?" Immediately Aeric took him into a hug, just sitting with him on the grass. "Never apologize if you're feeling uncomfortable..."

"Ian?" He could faintly hear Tina behind him. "Mags said she's sorry. Are you okay, sweetie? Can I have Hugo get you some water?"

All he could do was nod. He assumed Hugo was the centaur boyfriend he didn't know.

"I think he had a panic attack," Aeric explained, rubbing circles into his back gently. "I want to drive him home, but I don't think I'm sober enough to yet."

"Isn't Ian's stepdad a cop?" Tina asked. "Wouldn't that get you off the hook?"

"You shitting me? That gives me more of an incentive _not_ to. His mom would kick my ass across the realm!"

"It's okay, Aeric..." Ian assured, finally moving his head up. When he looked back into the house, no one seemed to care he'd run out. Or at least to the point where he would notice. He took the water bottle Hugo brought and took a few sips. "I can fly us home."

"Babe, no." Aeric's brow furrowed. "I'm not making you exert yourself when you've been drinking, too."

He knew casting a levitation spell was _nothing_ compared to the twenty or so miles they had to traverse across town to get home, but he couldn't be here any longer. At least, not at this house, this row. "I can do it," he said assuredly, and true, he'd never been this confident in his magic, but he _wanted_ to go home—and would do whatever it took to get there. "I won't be exerting myself and I've had less than you."

"We can just chill out here, wait in the car, even, with some music until I feel okay to drive," Aeric suggested instead, still undermining him a bit.

"I want to go home..." he uttered, so low that only Aeric could hear him. He hoped his eyes pleaded that he'd do anything in his power to make it happen.

"I..." But Aeric licked his lips, then glanced over at Tina, adjusting his glasses. "I'm really sorry, Tina. I think with the tour and everything, it's a little too much tonight and I was probably too excited about it all. We should get going."

"Oh, it's okay." Tina waved a dismissive hand. "You were here for a while, and I should have known better than to just thrust Ian into a college party like that. The culture's a little different here when it comes to views on magic, unfortunately." She sighed, patting Ian's back. "Some people are from smaller places and don't understand it. But they will once you're here with us next year."

Her trying to explain it wasn't making him feel better, but Ian didn't say anything. He just nodded, sniffing. "Thanks, Tina. I'm sorry I put a damper in your party."

"It's just a party. And it's not mine," she assured, giving him a quick hug. "I just hope this doesn't put a damper in your application process."

"It won't," Ian replied quickly, letting Aeric help him up. "I probably just won't be going to another one of these parties anytime soon..."

"That's okay, sweetie. I get it. Feel better, okay?" She stood and wiped the grass from her knees. "I promise it gets better after graduation."

Every word she said just didn't help, like it wasn't as genuine as last year. Yet Tina took on the same sweet tone as always, and hugged him tight before Aeric led him across to the structure so they could get in his car.

"It was too much, wasn't it?" Aeric asked, a little afraid. "You don't want to come here anymore."

"No, I do," said Ian, very surely. He drank more from the bottle. "If they don't like magic at Willowdale, I guess I'm just going to have to prove that it's not something to be afraid of." It was part of his personal essay, after all, about how magic had brought him closer to Dad than anything else ever had.

" _Avi Volanta_!" He'd never flown his boyfriend's car before, but given it was smaller than Guinevere, even in this sobering state, Ian didn't have a problem flying them across the moons. Aeric trusted him, and right now, that was all that mattered.

Up here, his thoughts became clearer, now that he'd had time to think and reflect about today. Most of Willowdale didn't agree with him, it seemed, other than the Laurel tree. But while the old Ian would have bowed down and hidden away his Gift, this new Ian, who had a boyfriend who supported him, and a group of wizards who were helping him grow, would come in as a proud magic user.

Magic was nothing to fear, and never had been as long as his Heart's Fire was in the right place. Ian glanced over at Aeric who, despite the less than stellar tour and party, still smiled at him like he was his entire world as they soared over the city.

If Ian had Aeric at Willowdale, that's all that mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you immediately thought Willowdale's campus basically mirrors UCLA's, you would be right! Given that New Mushroomton is supposed to mirror LA, I figured it'd be appropriate!
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are insanely appreciated, especially now.


	6. You and Me Can't Hardly Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aeric and his parents spend Winter Solstice with the Lightfoots.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of a time skip to the Christmas chapter already (I know), but a lot of what I planned is for second semester. In the meantime, enjoy the holiday festivities!

**_Please Remember Me Like This_ **

**Chapter 6:** _"You and Me Can't Hardly Wait"_

Kind of poetic that the deadline for early admission to Willowdale coincided with the last day of school before winter break. Ian and Aeric sat in Ms. Sparkleshaw's office, asking to come in together during their last study hall. But couldn't it be the end of the day already, so he could take Ian out, and spend the majority of the next three weeks in holiday bliss without a care in the world now that their applications were in?

"Hmm..." She flew while reading, moving from one side of the screen of Aeric's laptop to the other as she took the final steps in looking over their applications. Aeric's first, with Ian right after. They spent the past few months perfecting their essays (with Ian completely rewriting his to be more about the relationship he developed with his dad through magic), and seemed satisfied with their ORC scores, scoring nearly perfectly in the math section, and still rather well in the literature and language sections. They each meticulously crafted how to boast all their accolades: Ian in math and academics, Aeric's with sports, and used those strengths in all the scholarships they'd applied for, too. They had to make it in together. They just _had_ to. If Aeric made it and Ian didn't, he already committed to just following wherever his boyfriend ended up going. Was it kind of dumb and reckless? Sure. But he couldn't see Willowdale without Ian, not when his boyfriend deserved it far more than he did.

"You've really put a lot into these applications," she complimented. "Your GPAs are excellent, and Aeric, it looks like you're going to make it to Salutatorian without a problem. Not to mention you spoke up about how the Willowdale sports recruiter was _very_ vocal about your skills and want to keep an eye on you for the rest of the season. But it's competitive out there—so we can only hope you both get the best outcome. I can't see Willowdale denying either of you, though."

Ian squeezed his hand tighter in anticipation as Aeric used his free one to click the button to send his application out into the void. It was in the hands of the application offices now, and Ian followed suit soon after, this giant weight of the first semester finally lifting. Not that Aeric thought it'd be the _easiest_ sailing for them for the rest of the year, but at least all that stress seemed to carry right off in an instant.

Aeric treated Ian to dinner that night, only because he needed a breather. First semester of senior year done, the season well under way and doing well, and only a matter of time before they got their acceptance letters from Willowdale... and their first Winter Solstice together, his and Ian's favorite holiday!

"I love this time of year," Ian sighed, grinning at all the winter decorations Corey added to the Tavern. "I love snuggling up in blankets and peppermint hot cocoa, warm fires..."

"I want to do all that with you," Aeric replied with a smile, adjusting the collar of his turtleneck. Ian still had yet to find his winter style, so for now it was just warm boots and puffy jackets in a variety of colors. It never snowed in New Mushroomton—it was too warm a climate for that—but Ian bundled up like at any moment, it just might. Aeric, on the other hand, still worked out during this time. "You still doing your meetings?"

"I skipped out today because I kind of needed a break," Ian said with a blush. "But we've been learning so much—here, look!" He pulled out his phone and showed Aeric a group picture, the little band of wizards holding up their staffs proudly, giant smiles on their faces. "Morgana—" He pointed to the stylish elf in the center— "she learned how to take photos from a distance using magic so we could all get in!"

"The superior selfie," Aeric joked, though he was seriously impressed. "You seem... more advanced than them. Is that insensitive to say?"

"I just don't think that, keeping magic such a secret wherever they are, they had all the practice they could get their hands on, or the support. I have both." Ian pocketed his phone, then smiled over at Aeric. "I'm really grateful you embrace that side of me."

Aeric sighed; he knew this was going back to how terribly Hallow's Eve had gone for Ian, and to be honest, he'd been fearing Ian just outright denying wanting to go to Willowdale anymore. All he could hope for was, when they did go, Ian could start to change the culture and views on magic there—there just _had_ to be a group that played Quests of Yore or _something_. "I'm glad you're embracing magic more, too," he pointed out. Not that he didn't love everything else about his boyfriend. "It doesn't make you a freak; it makes you just a little more special than the rest of us."

Ian didn't deny it this time, like he usually did, but he did chuckle. "Thanks, babe." He reached across the table to take Aeric's hand. "This is really doing wonders for my self-confidence."

"I'm glad." Aeric wore a warm smile and squeezed his hand, but inside he had to wonder: what was he supposed to get the most amazing boyfriend for Winter Solstice? He kind of played his whole hand on Ian's birthday, from the Phoenix Gem necklace to the, well, _car_. He somehow had to top that. He _could_ always get Willowdale car accessories (he'd been eyeing a few himself), but it didn't seem like enough. "Hey... have you ever thought about a bigger wizard staff?"

"Huh?" Ian tilted his head, a little confused. "Why'd you bring that up?"

Aeric shrugged. "Dunno. Just crossed my mind on things to get you for Winter Solstice."

"Well... it was my dad's, so I'm good," Ian declined politely.

Right. Damn. Back to square one. Maybe the car decals would have to do. Or maybe he'd ask Barley about getting his hands on some assist gems from an antique store or something. "I might have played my hand there at your birthday gifts..." he admitted.

"It's okay," Ian assured, squeezing his hand. "I just want to spend Winter Solstice together and just enjoy each other's company... kind of like your birthday, you know?"

Maybe he could plan another fancy outing, but maybe to a local nice hotel or something. Then again, their families were going to spend the holiday together at the Lightfoots, with Corey in tow, so maybe it wouldn't be appropriate. Or even just a lights outing to look and see how the best homes in town decorated.

He'd figure it out—and luckily their homework was at a minimum, so Aeric wouldn't even mind losing sleep over it.

* * *

Even over break, the team gathered at school to practice twice a week to prepare for the rest of the season. Aeric still stuck to his morning schedule, pushed back a little further so he could get some sleep in. Surprisingly, Ian texted to inform him that his group of wizards was upping to meeting twice a week, too, given a few of them were students.

Ian said so little about this group, other than showing off a couple of things he'd learn with this secrecy laced behind it. Aeric couldn't help but be wary of this fact—Ian used to be so open about every little thing he'd discovered, asking Aeric to help him experiment in the park to see how far he could throw a ball, how long he could levitate objects. But now? He could fly home buzzed over twenty miles? He could manipulate clouds in the sky, even, to look certain shapes! And while Aeric would normally be so proud of his boyfriend, why wasn't he sharing any of this with him?

Aeric thought back to the mysterious way Victoriana just... emerged. Standing in front of their school by her vintage car, immaculate as she coerced Ian with a cool smile and the way she sized him, as if under a microscope. Like because he couldn't do magic, he wasn't worth the concrete beneath her heels.

It was just a feeling, and he could be totally off, but... he still had that hunch.

Instead he tried to pour his energy into finding the perfect gifts for Ian for Winter Solstice, thinking that maybe a multitude of small ones might make up for not having anything too extravagant. A pair of wedge, knee high boots that would go with almost any skirt or jeans. Assist items per Barley's recommendations to help him with magic. Treats and toys for Blazey (which Ian would just appreciate, even if they weren't explicitly for him). A care package filled with many different flavors of hot chocolate and sweet treats. Maybe it wasn't much, but hopefully it would be enough.

"And here I only got macaroni arts and crafts from you every Winter Solstice," Mom joked as Aeric tried his best to wrap (not a strong suit, as indicated by everything else he'd tried to wrap for Ian). But she lended a helping hand, making sure he folded in the ends correctly and finished everything off with bows.

"Not true—last Solstice I got you that bracelet." Aeric pointed to the jangling charm bracelet on her left wrist, embellished with two charms in the beginning (a mermaid tail and a Mom heart), and now boasted a bunch of charms for hobbies she enjoyed.

"Too bad your boyfriend doesn't like jewelry," Mom sighed, examining all the gifts Aeric bought. "That makes things a _lot_ easier, doesn't it?"

"I'll say!" he laughed, nudging her lightly with his shoulder. Mermaids and their shiny objects—nothing fascinated Mom more than collecting little treasures, but she did a great job keeping them all organized.

"I haven't seen much of Ian around here lately," she pointed out. "I miss him."

"Yeah... me, too." Aeric loved the days Ian came over and helped him work out, or when they studied together, even if it was just reading, where they'd hold hands on his bed and occasionally Ian's thumb would brush over his knuckles as an assurance that they were in this together. "He's just been kind of busy with magic is all. Or now that he has a car, we go out a little more than usual."

"I knew a girl in college who did magic," Mom confessed, and this was the first time Aeric was hearing of it. "I never really saw this with Ian, but this girl... she used magic for _everything_ , from helping her study to looking good for dates, and she ended up dropping out. She got to the point where it was too much of a crutch and made it her whole identity."

A warning sign for Ian, Aeric supposed. "Ian isn't like that," he assured, after a moment of reflection. They still studied together and drove normally—he couldn't see his boyfriend ever getting to such a point. "His mom won't even let him bring his staff to school."

"With good reason. Laurel's one smart cookie, you know."

Right. Mom started joining Laurel on some of their nights out, ever since Spring Fling. Aeric wondered how many bottles of wine they could knock out together, and shuddered silently at the thought.

"Well... I don't think he'd ever get to that point anyway. Ian has a lot of discipline." It felt weird, coming to Ian's defense when his mom wasn't even really accusing him of anything, just warning.

And Aeric wondered if he'd have to take those warnings into consideration, if he ever had to tell Ian about any of this.

* * *

Turned out, he might have to.

Gifts in tow, wine bottles tucked underneath his dad's arm, the Aldheims arrived at the Lightfoot house on the afternoon of Winter Solstice, after having breakfast at home and opening their own gifts (and Aeric even fit in a workout before they left). Mom marveled at the decorations outside the house, from the festive lights to the holly adorning every window. Aeric briefly wondered if Ian had any intentions of finding him under the mistletoe at some point of the evening, and smiled just at the thought.

Laurel ended up opening the door, wearing a very festive knit sweater and—were those gaudy tree slippers? Looked like she was _really_ in the spirit. "Hi, come in! Happy Solstice!" she greeted, kissing everyone on the cheek as they entered. Aeric could hear low Solstice music playing over the speakers set up. "We're still finishing up with some of the cooking, but we'll be done soon!"

"We brought some wine," Dad pointed out, holding up the bottles with a grin.

"Oh, _perfect_. Colt, honey, could you grab five glasses?" Laurel called, and with Colt there, the living room started to look just the _slightest_ but cramped.

"You still haven't lit the candles on the tree yet?" Mom asked, rolling to settle near the window.

"Ian _insisted_ he do it, but he's actually a little busy at the moment," Laurel sighed, shifting to sit on the couch beside Mom.

"I can help," Aeric offered, hanging up his coat and scarf.

"Look at him—always going the extra mile to try and impress his boyfriend," Dad laughed, taking out his keys so he could open up the wine with the handy keychain he kept attached.

Aeric ignored him as he set his gifts under the unlit tree and walked past to the kitchen, noticing Ian hard at work cooking... with staff in one hand, the other mixing something in a bowl over the stove. The staff commanded ingredients to come to him, measuring things out perfectly as they dipped into the concoction. He had a frilly apron on over his simple turtleneck sweater and jeans, opting for a more lax look as opposed to something stylish.

"Um... Happy Solstice!" he greeted, wrapping his arm around Ian's waist for a side hug.

"Aeric!" Ian grinned up at him and kissed his cheek quickly. "Happy Solstice! I'm making pumpkin soup! And we have a whole roast griffin and some spaghetti squash pasta! Doesn't it smell amazing?"

"It does..." he admitted, looking down to see that Blazey had started rubbing up on his legs, begging for him to pet her. Reaching down, he scratched just behind her horns, which made her hind leg jiggle in happiness. "What spell are you using to cook?"

"The animate spell!" Ian replied, rather giddy. "I used to only be able to command one thing at a time, but now I can have multiple things doing exactly what I want!"

Something he learned from the group, Aeric could only guess. Ian removed his hand from the spoon in the stove, only to have it still stirring with magical assistance. Even when he looked over at him, everything worked perfectly—almost mechanical, even. "I-I'm impressed," he said, as it was the only good thing that came to mind. "You're getting _really_ good at your magic."

"Aw, thanks, Aer." Ian flushed, stepping a little closer. "Everyone in the group says it all the time, but it always means more coming from you."

"So, um..." Aeric didn't really want to stay on this tangent, only because he was a little afraid of Ian confirming exactly what Mom had warned him about. "Where's Barley and Corey?"

"You know Barley," Laurel called from the living room. "He always sticks to those Solstice traditions. He and Corey are out finding an 'authentic Yule log.'"

"Which is why I haven't lit the tree yet, too," Ian explained. "Just wanted to get it done all at once, you know?"

"Yeah, sure." Even if he didn't really get it. But then again, having everything lit all at once would probably make everything just the slightest bit more dramatic.

After watching Ian in awe for a few minutes, Barley barreled inside, wearing a new knit hat. Somehow, even in this cold weather, he had the audacity to wear shorts. " _Greetings on this wonderful Winter Solstice_!" he boomed, carrying a huge log over his shoulder. Was that going to fit in the fireplace?

"Barley Lightfoot, what the hell did you find?" Laurel scolded, but there was a touch of laughter laced in her voice.

"He insisted; I couldn't stop him!" Corey tried to reason, shaking out her curls. "Oh—we have new guests! Hi, I'm the Manticore, and you are?"

Mom and Dad introduced themselves politely, and Mom seemed especially interested, as she'd never met a Manticore before—let alone the legendary one who brandished her Curse Crusher sword to slay her enemies. But Corey complimented the wine they brought along, and Aeric started to fear she might join her and Laurel on their usual wine benders where they complained about things he was too young to understand.

"Here, the soup just needs to simmer, anyway, and the rest is done." Ian stopped his little army of animated ingredients, and they all obediently found themselves in their correct corners of the spice pantry. "Besides, now that you're here, we can get everything started!"

"Aeric!" Barley held his arms out for a giant hug, and he went in, thinking he might have to prep himself for another wrestle. Luckily, with all the decorations, it didn't happen. "Nice to see our families joined for the holidays!"

"Yeah—it's great!" he chuckled, patting Barley on the back. "But what about you? Where's Athena?" He was hoping to see her—on the off morning, she even joined him for a few jogs (well—jogs on her part; Aeric struggled to keep up when she was even at a trot).

"Alas—my beloved Athena is spending Solstice with her family," Barley lamented dramatically, with a sigh and everything. But his tone changed to casual in an instant. "Don't worry; we spent last night together for gift exchange and all that."

"Ah." Aeric nodded, making room for Ian, who stood before the tree and the fireplace.

" _Flame Infernar_!" Instead of saying the spell twice, Ian was able to aim his magic not only on the yule log, but on all the candles on the tree as well, lighting it up perfectly.

Everyone erupted into awe and applause, not expecting that from Ian, who, just a year ago, was just getting used to magic.

"Wow, look at you go!" Laurel complimented, beaming at her youngest son.

"I told you: best wizard in the Western Realm!" Barley added.

But Mom, who also applauded in amazement, shot a knowing look at Aeric, and that's when he realized: the warning was right in front of his face.

Still, dinner went off without a hitch—Dad joked along with Colt in puns that made everyone at the table groan, Corey went into a few tipsy tales (for a Manticore, she was kind of a lightweight), and everyone complimented Ian and Laurel on the feast they'd prepared, from the soup to the griffin, to all the wonderful side dishes. Aeric even took seconds, figuring it was okay for the holiday.

"Everything is absolutely delicious, Laurel," Dad assured, toasting her.

"Oh, please, give more credit to Ian," said Laurel, waving her hand. "That animate spell helped me _immensely_ in getting all this together!"

Still, that surge of pride worked its way through Aeric—this was still his boyfriend, after all, and he couldn't help but feel proud that Ian had come so far with his magic. He'd spill the beans on how he'd gotten so good eventually... right?

"The recipes are Mom's though," Ian dismissed, after swallowing his current bite. "It's a bit more equal than she's letting on. The magic just means she's not stressing as much!"

Everyone had to laugh at that. Honestly, this was something out of a Solstice card, or from one of those cheesy Solstice movies tailor made for people like his mom, who ate them up on cable. But it'd always just been him and his dad, or when his mom was in the picture, the three of them, and no one else. Mom's family disavowed her after she gave it all up to live on land, and Dad's parents had died before Aeric was born. It'd always just been their bubble—and now, he could share all this love with Ian's family, small as it was, too. With them together, and with Corey, too, it all seemed more picturesque, and he could sense that Ian felt the same way, if the smile beaming off his face was any indication.

After dinner, everyone gathered around the fireplace to exchange gifts, the adults on the couches, and the kids on the floor. Barley handed them all out with gusto, exclaiming everyone's name in a giant boom, like he enjoyed it a little too much.

"Wow, Ian, look at all your gifts!" Colt exclaimed with a chuckle, and Aeric flushed.

"I may have gone overboard..." he confessed, but smiled as Laurel took out her phone and started to take endless pictures of them.

"I bet they're all great," Ian assured with a kiss to his cheek, and everyone started to open envelopes and unwrap gifts.

"My own Quests of Yore copy!" Corey cried, holding up the game with a huge grin. "Thank you, Barley!"  
"Anything for the fiercest warrior in all the lands!" Barley replied, ripping into what Aeric assumed was a knit sweater made by Ian or Laurel.

"Oh, babe..." Ian held up the boots and the baskets of cooking ingredients and goodies he'd gotten. "I absolutely love them! Especially these boots—I can wear them with everything!"

"That was the point!" Aeric could actually breathe a sigh of relief, seeing that Ian liked them. "Open the other one."

"What about yours?" Ian nodded at the gift still perched in Aeric's lap. "You can open that, too."

"I'll wait," he dismissed. "I know your gift is better than anything I got you."

"Stop." Ian flicked his nose playfully. "I really do love them so far." But he ripped into the last gift, and this was what got him to gasp in excitement. "Magical assist items?"

"Yeah, are they... okay?" Aeric asked lowly, unsure what they really meant. He just went by Barley's recommendations, and the shopkeeper's from the apothecary store he'd had to find online researching.

"These are perfect!" Ian exclaimed, clearly happy about this gift over the others. "Aer, I love them so much! Okay, but now _you_ have to open your gift."

"Alright, alright..." Chuckling, Aeric gingerly unwrapped the present in his lap.

"Come on, Aeric," Barley goaded, "real warriors don't care about the wrapping! Sheesh, you're just as bad as Ian."

"He appreciates the wrapping!" retorted Ian, sticking his tongue out at his brother.

"I do appreciate it..." Aeric's voice trailed off as he opened the box. There, nestled in the tissue paper and folded perfectly, was a Willowdale Hoodie—the same as the one Ian owned. This one, though, had 'Aldheim' embroidered in the same purple thread, in the same spot as Wilden's.

"Do you... like it?" Ian asked lowly, playing with his hands as if the gift _wasn't_ perfect.

"It's gorgeous!" he exclaimed, holding it out of his box. "Mom, Dad, look what Ian made on here!" Of course, that only prompted their wine-buzzed moms to take a ton of pictures of them, so maybe that wasn't the best idea. But Aeric held the sweatshirt up to his chest, posing proudly.

"We have matching sweatshirts!" He couldn't believe it! They'd be going into Willowdale with their own, original embroidery. There really was no way they wouldn't make it in—not after this. "You did the embroidery by hand?"

"Yup! No magical assistance needed!" Ian assured, patting his staff beside him. "Why, you think I used it for this?"

Shrugging, Aeric tried to make it seem like it wasn't such a big deal, though he was starting to worry, with Mom's words echoing in his ear. "Can you blame me?" he asked. "You've been using it a lot more lately."

"Just for today since it's special." Sure, he could try to justify it. Aeric hoped he wasn't sounding too accusatory. "But yeah... I can see why you would think so. I have been using it more with the group and all, where we're pretty much doing it the whole time, and I feel more confident in it. But I promise you, Aeric, I'm still the same nerd you love." He tapped the side of his nose lightly.

"You're right," he sighed, completely believing Ian. Besides, who said he didn't need a bit more magic in his life, anyway?

"Wanna see something cool?" Ian held up his staff, waggling his brows as he picked out one of the assist items.

"Yeah, go for it!" Surely if he was open to it, Ian would tell him just what was going on in that group, when there was more trust and support between them.

Ian recited a spell, and mistletoe bloomed right above them. Oh, was he being cheeky! But luckily their parents seemed deep in their own conversation. "Happy Solstice, Aeric."

"Happy Solstice." And Aeric didn't mind kissing Ian lightly, even in front of their families.

It was a Winter Solstice tradition, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, there probably won't be a time jump as dramatic as this in the future. But we needed some holiday fluff, I think.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are insanely appreciated.


	7. Some Things Just Don't Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start changing the moment Ian and Aeric come back from winter break, and Aeric is in for a few surprises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a shorter chapter! But I did like writing more from Aeric's perspective. I always do-he's so much fun!
> 
> Yes, of course the title of the chapter is ironic.

_**P** _ _**lease Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 7:** _"Some Things Just Don't Change"_

Second semester for seniors brought on this laissez-faire attitude almost immediately, with how lively everyone sounded when they came into school, greeting each other with smiles despite the cold weather. Aeric walked in with Ian, who decided to show off the boots he'd gotten for Winter Solstice, paired with a tasteful sweater, shorts, and thermal tights.

"Ian, you look so well rested!" Sadalia complimented at lunch, her voice seemingly laced with the barest hint of jealousy. "Did you find a sleeping spell or something?"

"Not all of us are studying our butts off for Valedictorian!" Parthenope replied, nudging her playfully.

"I just had a great winter break!" Ian laughed in return, and Aeric realized he'd still never gotten around to telling the group that he'd found more magical friends. Was it supposed to be a secret? Would Aeric even know about them if he hadn't seen Victoriana that first encounter? "The application to my first choice school is in, I spent Winter Solstice with Aeric, played some Quests of Yore with my brother... I mean, we also all did the lights drive around a couple of weeks ago! And now we're second semester seniors? Of course I'm happy!"

"Man, second semester is gonna be a breeze!" Gurge exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air. "I have a recruiter from Stonemeade coming to a game soon, so I might be playing against the Griffins in the future!"

"Hey, if I lose to you, at least it's a good loss!" Of course, missing Gurge from the team would always hurt—but his dad had also been on the Stonemeade team, which made his chances getting in there with a scholarship so much more likely. Whatever made him happy, of course, that was what mattered.

Even the teachers seemed more lax—in study hall, Aeric and Ian worked on homework a little louder than usual, and no shushing occurred. If anything, now he felt like he could get away with _more_ , and what they'd done last semester, that seemed insane. But, of course, they still doubled down on studying, and what especially intrigued Aeric was just _how much_ Ian wanted to get done during this hour they had together.

"You know, quality work matters, too, babe," he pointed out as Ian seemed to be on a mission with how quickly he wrote on his calculus study sheet.

"Just trying to get it all done early to free up the day," Ian dismissed, not looking up.

Brow furrowing, Aeric almost asked about the group—but refrained at the last moment. He had a feeling Ian would just change the subject, or would barely say anything. And if he pressed... that might push him away more. But that's what it was, he knew it.

Was it jealousy, he wondered? Was he jealous of the fact that his boyfriend found another group that could do something he couldn't, that was becoming so much a bigger part of his life? Did he envy that there were things Ian wanted out of his future that Aeric couldn't provide?

Honestly, yeah, a bit. At least, when Ian failed to disclose what made them so special. He wanted to at least _try_ to relate to all the magic, just as he tried to bring Ian into his own lifestyle, but being so secretive meant Aeric couldn't figure out what he was supposed to know!

The plot started to thicken a little bit, after practice next Monday. Every second and fourth Monday of the month, Chess Club let out right around when practice ended which, well, meant carpool. Aeric had driven them to school this morning, coffee and all, and Ian had given no indication that anything had changed. But when Aeric finished up in the locker room and noticed Ian wasn't waiting for him, something felt... off. Not in this just being a fluke, but like something might be wrong.

So he walked to the classroom where meetings were held, keeping an eye out in the halls just in case he might pass Ian in the meantime (and then got a little distracted by the student board with the ads and posters he'd been hanging up promoting them for Prom Kings). Some kids got a little weirded out traversing the wide, empty halls alone, the fluorescent lights giving off uneasy lighting and the squeaking of his sneakers on the floor echoing.

Moments like this, where he'd be alone in the halls with barely a soul in sight, should be treasured, Aeric supposed. With senior year already in its second semester, it wasn't like there would be any communal halls for students to walk through once he got to college. And he was proud to be a Dragon—he loved playing for the team, loved his varsity jacket, loved that this was where he met Ian.

Luckily the Chess Club president (gosh—Aeric couldn't remember this satyr's name, but he thought it started with a "Z") still lingered in the class, packing up. He knocked on the door, though there was no one else beside him inside.

"Uh... hey. Did Ian leave already?" Aeric played with the strap of his duffel bag, unsure what to do with his hands.

"Ian?" The satyr's brow furrowed. "Didn't he tell you? He dropped out of Chess Club right after we came back from winter break."

"What?" There had been very few times when such a shock struck him right in the chest, but this definitely had him. "No... he didn't."

"Huh. You'd think he'd tell his boyfriend..." the satyr mumbled, then shrugged his backpack onto his shoulders. "Uh... sorry, man. Nothing I can really do other than be the bearer of bad news. Kind of a shame, though—he was one of our best players. All he said was there was something else that was taking up his Mondays."

And now Ian already had Chess Club set up as an extracurricular on his Willowdale application—dropping out now wouldn't mean anything in the decision making process.

"Okay, thanks." Aeric quickly left the room, and instead of enjoying his walk in the hall at a languid pace, he started speed walking, needing to get out of the school as soon as possible. Why wouldn't Ian tell him that he _dropped out of Chess Club_? Ian had never been spacey when it came to important information like that!

" _How come I had to find out from the Chess Club president that you dropped out_?" he texted before driving home. " _Why didn't you tell me?_ "

But then, instead of a quick text back from Ian, Aeric had time to eat dinner and change into loungewear to work on homework, before he heard back. This had really been the longest Ian had gone without answering a text—even longer than on his birthday, and during their first fight. Aeric knew he had a problem with jiggling his leg whenever he sat, never able to keep still... but tonight was worse than any other night, and he was hyper aware, for once, that he was doing it.

Instead of a text, the absolute unexpected happened: Aeric just laid in bed, reading for Lit, when, like an echo, he heard Ian's voice. "Oh, my gods, it worked!"

Startled, Aeric quickly put down his book, sitting stark erect at the sight of his boyfriend materializing before him. "Ian?" he asked, though his boyfriend, while holding his staff, looked a little transparent, as Aeric could see through him to his exercise equipment in the corner of the room. He had a blue, sparkling ring on his outline, as if surrounded by the magic emanating from his staff. "Are you actually here?"

"'Here,' as in actually? Nope." Ian walked right through his desk chair, and Aeric swallowed thickly, unsure of what to think. "I just learned astral projection with the group!" he explained giddily, deciding to take a seat on the floor at the foot of the bed. "Cool, huh? Now we can study together when we're not in the same place! Imagine how cool it'll be if you ever have one of those away games where you're gone for the weekend! I can see your room and everything!"

"Um... yeah." Did his mouth just go dry? Why was his water bottle suddenly so far away?

"Babe?" Ian tilted his head as Aeric crawled across the bed to get a better look at him. "You look... pale. You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, just..." Why couldn't he find the words. "Just a little startled, is all." This summer, Ian struggled to fly his car a couple of blocks. And now he could project himself into his room? "And a little confused."

"Confused? Why? Oh, here." Ian levitated Aeric's water bottle from his desk into his hands—while still projecting. Powerful, indeed. "You need this, I think."

Nodding, Aeric took a sip, eyes still wide. And now he could do two spells at once? "Thanks... And I mean, I'm glad you're learning so much about magic, really. This is super cool. But you could share with me what you've found out instead of—you know— _materializing_ in my room without a warning."

"Oh. Yeah, I probably should have; I'm sorry." Ian chuckled, standing again. "If I could, I would kiss you right now."

"I'd like that if you could," Aeric admitted with a shrug. Even a kiss done with magic was better than nothing at all. "Maybe you could text me so we could schedule it out, you know? That could be _really_ great." And a way for Aeric to tangent into what he'd learned—if Ian even read his text, which, judging by how proud he was of his astral projection spell working, he probably didn't. "Speaking of texts... did you get mine from a few hours ago, after practice?"

"Um... oh, no, crap." Sighing, Ian walked closer to Aeric. "I got busy. What did you say?"

He really didn't know? "You never told me you dropped out of Chess Club. I had to find out from the club president when you didn't show up outside the locker room after practice."

"Oh... no, I thought I told you! We switched up group meetings to every Monday and Thursday," Ian explained, genuinely looking remorseful for not saying anything. "I'm so sorry, babe."

"Ian, we carpooled today and you didn't say anything," Aeric chastised. "I know I can't do magic, but I'd like to think I'm not second place to it."

"You're not, you're not!" he assured, though Aeric wasn't sure if that sounded as sincere as Ian usually was. "It's just... a little harder for time management is all. I wish I could tell you _everything_ I know, but it can get to be so advanced sometimes! And it's not my place to tell for some magic, you know?"

Aeric almost said something snarky in return but held his tongue. "You're coming to the game on Friday, right?" he asked instead.

"Of course! Wouldn't miss it for anything." He probably would if their group met on Fridays, but again, Aeric held his tongue.

"Okay..." Really, it was all that was coming to mind, as he tried to wrap his head around all this. As long as Ian wasn't skipping school, right? They wouldn't promote something that terrible, would they? "Just... remember to tell me these things, okay? I don't want to wait around for you if I don't have to."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that except after home games. I had to drop out of all my extracurriculars." He said it so... nonchalantly. But Ian _loved_ chess and math, especially when he got to collab with other likeminded students. He didn't _have to_ drop out! He just had other priorities, apparently. "But I get it. I'll keep you in the loop about our schedules if they overlap, okay?"

"Yeah..." Really, it's all he could say without sounding accusatory, or unsupportive of his new hobby. Not that Aeric wasn't—but there was an itch he couldn't quite scratch when it came to Victoriana, to how easily Ian devoted his time to this group, and he wasn't sure how far it could go. "Um... it's getting a little late for me, so maybe you could come by another time? Or maybe actually come over?"

"Aw, but this is kind of fun!" Ian did a cute little jump around the room. "I can even see every part of your room and everything. But yeah, I should let you sleep."

"Wouldn't it be better if you were here? So I could kiss you?" Aeric raised an eyebrow, hoping that was enticing enough for Ian not to rely entirely on magic.

"Hmm.. you make a very compelling argument there." In this state, Ian could only blow him a kiss. "Doesn't mean I won't try, babe! But I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I love you!"

"Love you..." Ian just seemed to fade out of his room, and Aeric wasn't sure if he even heard his reply. In fact, even when he turned out the light, and tried to fall asleep, he just found himself tossing and turning with all this news, his mind too active.

He couldn't be the only one worrying about Ian, right? That felt like something was off?

Picking up his phone, Aeric texted the one person who might understand. " _Has Ian been acting a little off or strange to you_?"

Aeric didn't know if Barley was the type to answer quickly, but he figured, now that he had a girlfriend and a Quests of Yore guild _and_ a job that might need him on call, he should be readily available, even at this hour.

Luckily, he was right. " _Seems fine to me, if a little less jittery than usual. But I only see him when I'm at home, why?_ "

Was it weird, texting his boyfriend's brother behind his back? Aeric could feel his heart pounding; it certainly _felt_ weird. " _Has he told you about the magic group he's part of_?" Truth be told, Aeric wasn't sure if he just spilled a secret he shouldn't have.

" _Yeah, and? It's a good thing he found a group of people who can do magic._ "

Well, that went without saying. Why was it always so hard to send texts that didn't sound accusatory? " _I know that, but did you know he dropped out of all his extracurriculars for it? He didn't tell me_."

" _It's second semester and his Willowdale application is in. Should he not explore magic?_ "

Great. So he _did_ sound backwards and not open to everything Ian learned. It wasn't the _content_ , it was the _context_. The way he had to act so secretive, and yet Ian improved at an unheard of rate.

But then again, Barley saw his little brother conjure arcane lightning within a day of learning magic. Maybe Aeric was just acting crazy.

Then why didn't it _feel_ right? Eyes wide, he tried to think of what to send Barley next. " _I just have a little hunch, is all_." Aeric _loved_ magic, really! _Especially_ when Ian did something wonderful for him—and yet... the astral projection should have been wonderful. But with how abruptly Ian learned it, something felt _off_ , and Aeric couldn't explain it other than a hunch! A trickling, a feeling, a... something not cool. " _I want him to get more in touch with his magical side. But I think he's keeping some secrets_ _about how he's learning_."

" _Aeric, he doesn't have to tell us everything._ " Where was the overprotective big brother that couldn't trust Aeric just based off his _initials_? Aeric needed _that_ Barley right now. " _If you keep pressing him about this, you could be pushing him away_."

Which was why he wanted to talk to Barley first. He supposed that, right now, he might just be a little too heated about this after how he found out about Ian dropping out of his clubs. But that wouldn't mean he wouldn't stop questioning it, even in his head. And maybe he could at least make Barley a little aware of Ian's behavior, too. " _You know I don't want to. But he seems a little spaced out at school, more than usual. I just want to make sure everything is okay_."

" _I guess I'll keep an eye out if anything seems off. That cool_?"

It would have to be for now. It wasn't the satisfactory answer Aeric wanted, making his concerns seem invalid, but there was only so much he could do from a distance, without the tools Ian had. " _Yeah, cool. Thanks_."

He and Barley left it at that, just a respectful end to the conversation. But Aeric still stayed up for a little longer, his concerns for just how quickly Ian was advancing his magic only growing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise you, though it's been a few chapters to keep things mysterious, we're getting back to the group next week! And I just wanted some astral projection for the boys, for it just being a great idea.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are insanely appreciated.


	8. I'm Unapologetically Free

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian wonders why Aeric seems so distant lately, and Victoriana makes a jaw-dropping announcement to the group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nice to know I had an extra hour to finish this given this was a very busy week! I've really been enjoying writing this story, and we're FINALLY back to seeing what this group is up to!

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 8:** _"I'm Unapologetically Free"_

Was it just him, or was Aeric acting a little... weird? There seemed to be an invisible wall, a slight distance growing, an itch he couldn't scratch. When it came to magic , his responses were quick, aloof, distant, even, and then he'd quickly try to change the subject to something else, like prom campaigning and acceptance letters.

Ian didn't get it. Aeric usually _loved_ seeing all the new spells he learned. So what was with him now? Didn't they promise each other that they would communicate more? He couldn't be... _jealous_ , could he? Ian still went to home games, still went to Aeric's house most weekends so they could study—so what if he dropped his extracurricular clubs? It wasn't like he ditched class for magic, when there was a whole semester they still had to get through!

"What's up with you?" he dared to ask, a few weeks after he learned how to astral project once they had some alone time at his place. Aeric really didn't act as excited about that as he should have, and that bugged Ian, just a bit. Sure, it was on him for not saying anything about dropping out, but he thought he'd sent a text! He didn't mean to space out; surely his boyfriend knew this.

"What's up with what?" Aeric shrugged, putting his arm behind his head with a sigh.

"You know... stuff." Ian sighed, too, resting a hand on Aeric's bare chest before cuddling up a little closer. Empty house, studying done... Sure, they could have some fun, but even then, Aeric looked somewhat out of it. "Magic? You don't seem to like it anymore."

"I _do_ like it," Aeric assured, pulling him in closer. "I love seeing all the new things you can do, and it's so impressive. But now it seems like you've been advancing so much and I'm just... here. I'm just supporting when you do something new and not learning with you, when now you have this group to fall back on."

So that was it. It _was_ a slight bout of jealousy. Ian had this new group to learn magic with, and Aeric felt like he was being left out to the wayside. "Trust me, babe, I want to tell you _everything_ ," he said, because he _did_. He _wanted_ to bring Aeric in on meetings and let him know that this amazing group taught him things about magic not even he or Barley ever considered. "I wish I could tell you how great everyone is, how there's this one awesome girl who just graduated Willowdale and is giving me loads of advice, or just how _much_ Victoriana knows, or how I'm pretty much one of the best wizards there!"

Well, it wasn't like he signed a confidentiality agreement or anything, but something about a group called the Order of the Gifted kind of screamed exclusivity. Not to mention, Victoriana didn't take too kindly to those who were "Giftless," as she liked to call them. Ian thought that term might be too extreme, given how few wizards were actually out there, but given the Gift was hereditary... he could understand why she believed it. He wondered if she'd ever been persecuted for magic, and that was why they had to be so secretive, with new locations every week, and no real way to contact her outside of magic.

"Then why don't you?" Aeric asked, reaching up with his free hand to brush Ian's hair back. "Obviously you want to tell me about it—not like I have anyone else to tell."

Ian bit his lip, contemplating. Oh, did he want to tell Aeric, completely. He wanted to recount every meeting, wanted him to see what he did, to experience it all. But Aeric unfortunately wouldn't _get_ it. He'd appreciate all the magic, sure, but he wouldn't feel the surge of _pride_ whenever anyone performed a new, complicated spell, knowing how much work and Heart's Fire that went into it. He wouldn't _know_ what he felt (though, to be fair, an empathy spell might be something to think about writing in the near future, and he hoped to not forget this thought so he could write it down somewhere). "You're right—I _really_ want to," he said, nuzzling his cheek into Aeric's palm. "But that wouldn't be fair to the rest of the group. You can trust that what we're doing is good, though, right? That we're learning so much to better the world we inhabit?"

"I trust _you_ ," said Aeric. Which was another way of saying that he didn't trust Victoriana, who had been so kind to him when he started! What about her threatened Aeric so much? Her height? Her calm voice? The fact that she could do the one thing he couldn't?

Was _she_ what was causing his jealousy?

"I know what you do with magic isn't just for selfish reasons," he continued. "You really do want to teach everyone how great magic can be. And I know lately that hasn't been as easy as before."

Referring to Hallow's Eve, to the potential peers Ian might have at Willowdale who had judged him just based on the easiest of spells. When Ian asked Morgana later if she'd ever had such trouble during college dealing with magic, all she'd replied with was, "I never cared."

And the problem was: Ian did. He _did_ care what people thought, because he didn't want to be the freak. He wanted to be like Dad—he still kept that original list he'd made on his 16th birthday close to his heart. Be like Dad. Be the guy people remembered for all the right reasons.

And he had to educate, the way Dad would, and show them that magic wasn't something to fear, and to embrace. It wasn't like he used it to cheat on tests or skip school! And he never would!

Ian took Aeric's hand in his own, playing with his fingers. "I'll ask Victoriana about what I'm allowed to tell you, okay?" he suggested, hoping that would sate his boyfriend for now. "Because I want us to be as open as we were before. It's senior year, I feel amazing, and all I want to do is teach you just how much magic I've learned in such a short amount of time! And I want you to meet the group—heck, maybe we could all do a meetup outside of a meeting, you know?"

"I'd love that, but you don't have to go _that_ far out of your way if you think it might cause some trouble," Aeric replied, backing off the subject a little. Did he really want to keep all magic conversations just between the two of them. "I just don't like feeling out of the loop when it comes to how close we are, you know?"

"I do." Nodding, Ian brought Aeric's hand to his lips and kissed his palm. "But when it comes to you, you're no trouble at all, and you're totally worth it." Aeric _did_ deserve to know all of this, to show he was a supporter of magic in all its wonderful forms.

Victoriana would surely understand that, right?

* * *

Their next meeting, that Monday afternoon (this time in a ballroom at the rather swanky Boneaventure Hotel downtown), Ian came in _completely_ prepared to ask Victoriana all about Aeric and what he could disclose about their meetings. Maybe he could just show Aeric his notes? How he'd advanced so quickly? But he ran a little late, forgetting to fill up his tank _before_ school, and had to do so on the way to the meeting. By the time he arrived, everyone had their staffs in hand, chairs made into the usual circle in the middle of the room. Ian barely had time to eye the goodies Rose had made this week before Ferry escorted him to the only empty chair, beside him and Parker, shooting them both friendly nods.

Victoriana led them through affirmations, sayings that boosted up their confidence in using magic, and then each person shared a way in which they used a new spell outside the group. Ian's personal favorite was how Carls actually used magic to assist one of her patients, who was having trouble breathing. Seeing magic used in such innovative, helpful ways always gave Ian hope that there was a future where magic coincided with all the amazing technology their world had now. Though Parker, who used magic to create an algorithm to get their accounting spreadsheets done in a more efficient amount of time, was pretty impressive, too.

By the time the group got around to Ian, all he could say was, "I really like the astral projection spell. Sometimes I use it to project into my boyfriend's room so we can study together—while not actually being together. It's better than FaceTime!"

Victoriana just raised an arched, navy brow, clearly unimpressed, and Ian wanted to immediately shrink back.

"It's so nice you have someone to share all this with," Lili sighed. "Someone who knows all about your Gift and still loves you."

"Y-yeah!" Well, nice to see the rest of the group nodding in agreement. "Magic honestly brought us together in the first place, so he's always curious to see what I'm learning, and he's a great help."

"All right, all right," said Victoriana, standing and immediately shutting Ian up. So much for trying to bring Aeric up in front of her. It wasn't like she didn't know what he looked like! "I believe we're ready to move on.

"I've actually a confession to make: while you are, indeed, rather Gifted, I must admit, my bringing this group together is for a different reason altogether."

Ian's brow furrowed, confused. Then what _were_ they all brought together for?

Victoriana continued, "I'm sure your studies with magic, particularly those of you familiar with Quests of Yore, surely have heard of Vesshydar's Diamond."

At that, everyone's eyes (or, in Cord's case, eye) widened. Vesshydar's Diamond was the _rarest_ item in the game, according to Barley. In all his Quests, apparently no one had been able to find it, much less learn how to _wield_ it. A twenty sided, brilliant diamond lost to history.

"Isn't that the diamond that grants whoever finds it _any_ wish, including raising the dead and immortality?" Morgana piped up. "Isn't it just a myth?"

"All Quests of Yore myths are rooted in some sort of history. Surely you all know that with how the most basic of spells exist in the book," Victoriana explained. "I assure you, Vesshydar's Diamond does _indeed_ exist. After the wielder harnesses its power, it's hidden again, and can only be brought out in the presence of extremely powerful magic. And I believe it's somewhere here in New Mushroomton. I believe that, bringing all of you together, to practice and perfect your Gifts, we can find the Diamond. We can bring it out of the shadows and use it as a vessel to show the _world_ just how wonderful magic can be."

At that, they all turned to each other, twittering quietly. Ian stayed stark silent, gripping his staff tighter, unsure what to think. Vesshydar's Diamond... _real_? He'd have to go through the books Barley gave him to get a better understanding of it.

"So we use the Diamond as a way to bring tolerance?" asked Rose. "That's the wish you want?"

"Well, I believe it's the _one_ we can all agree upon," Victoriana pointed out. "There are infinite wishes the Diamond can grant, but only _one_ before it's hidden again. And, if we all find it, that seems to be the most reasonable wish, wouldn't you say?"

Everyone grumbled in agreement, really not sure what else to say. Really, it's all Ian wanted, especially after the Hallow's Eve party, and the prospect of going to class with some of them. If they could change the mindset... they could change their futures for the better.

"So... what _kind_ of magic should we be doing to bring out the Diamond?" Ferry asked, going as far as to raise his hand to speak. Usually everyone quieted down during their discussions, but he still had a couple of high school tendencies.

"That, I'm not sure." Victoriana stroked her chin a moment, before setting her staff down. "It's why we're trying such drastic new techniques—whatever magic might help make its location known."

"And how will we know?" Ian piped up, finally with a question.

"Again, unsure." Given the Diamond was a mystical artifact, maybe the answer wasn't concrete. "Legend has it, the Diamond will make itself known to the worthiest wizard. And that could be any of you." Was it just him, or did her steel gaze square solely on him when she said that?

"In the meantime, though, please refrain from letting anyone know about the Diamond's presence, until we're more sure about it's location." The group nodded in agreement. "And for now, practice is in order, yes?" Victoriana walked to the center of the room, her heels always echoing under the hard floor beneath her to command attention. "Now, we all know that the staff is the anchor that helps ground your magic. But _you_ are the vessels that hold your Gifts. You control the direction and flow of magic, through concentration, through Heart's Fire, through belief in yourselves. And while the staff helps harness external elements and helps amplify complicated spells, you, as the vessels, can perform magic, even without your staffs."

That's what Ian really liked about Victoriana. She always had this control to her voice, and had such radical ways of looking at magic that he never would have thought of, elements to use that weren't in the Quests of Yore book, tips and tricks to help write their own spells. Ian _never_ would have thought of ever even _attempting_ magic without a staff. It seemed almost ludicrous!

"Everything has to be in order, of course: your goals, your confidence, your Heart's Fire, your concentration. But once you get it down..." She aimed her hands at the snack table behind them. "You can do anything. _Aloft Elevar!_ "

Her hands glowed blue, and the snack table rose effortlessly a few feet in the air. Again, this shocked everyone in group, almost as much as the announcement that the diamond existed. Two sucker punches at once! Did this mean he could do it as well? Or anyone else here? The group applauded politely as she set the table back down, impressed.

"Unfortunately, that might be a lesson for another time," she sighed. "But that doesn't mean you all shouldn't try, of course. For now, pair up—we'll continue working on projecting ourselves, this time to places of comfort, as opposed to close proximity. Is it home? Dragonland? A cliff side by the ocean? Once you can project there, to a comfort zone, it feels as if the world cannot harm you."

Just as Ian turned to Parker to ask if he could pair with them, Victoriana tapped his shoulder. "Actually, Iandore, I hope you'll join me for a one-on-one lesson instead."

Sometimes she did this, took a student aside for some extra time in learning magic. Last week it was Lili, who had confidence issues in projecting, and last week it was Rose, who needed help shrinking assist items to use in her staff.

But Ian noticed this fondness Victoriana held for him whenever it was just the two of them, and in secrecy she admitted to finding him more advanced than the others, taking up magic so easily (though he'd argue in opposition of that—but then again, no one in the group had ever conjured arcane lightning before). He liked knowing that after a year, he'd really been improving with magic, to the point where it could really be integrated in his life, and Victoriana helped give him the tools to harness that.

"Yeah, sure." Ian nodded, following her to a private corner of the ballroom, near the snack table. Maybe he could take this time to ask about what Aeric could know. In fact, he should take advantage of that now, since he couldn't earlier... "Victoriana, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, of course, Iandore." She always insisted on calling him by his full name, but the others in the group were good about just calling him "Ian." "What's plaguing your mind?"

"Um... my boyfriend, actually," he said, starting out slowly. "I know he really loves what I can do with magic, but it's hard to not say anything about what we've been learning. And now it's like anything I show off to him, he seems a little... turned off by it because I'm not as open as I could be. And I want to be open—but I'm not sure what I can tell him about the group."

"Ah, yes—the jock. He is Giftless, yes?"

Ian always hated that term, like people like Aeric were less than. But he knew better than to speak out against her. "He is... but before I found everyone here, he used to help me practice spells, and now we're doing that less often. Maybe it'd be okay if I brought him to a meeting sometime—"

" _No_ ," she shut down immediately, then regained her composure once Ian shrunk back. "I apologize, Iandore, but there's only so much that someone who is Giftless can get out of our meetings."

"Then... what can I tell him? He and my family are such huge parts of my life, and I want them to know and be proud of what we're doing here."

"Well..." She took a moment, pondering his question for a bit. "You could certainly show off the new spells you've been learning—though from my understanding, you've been doing that for some time now. And yet he still feels distant?"

"Well... yeah. We usually tell each other everything, and I want him to be _proud_ of my magic, not _afraid_ of it."

"If he fears it now, it might might be because he has no control over what you're doing anymore," she said calmly, almost as if she was already _bored_ of the conversation. "You're moving on and learning without him."

"'Control'?" Ian repeated, confused. "Aeric doesn't try to _control_ me. He just wants us to communicate more, and I want to know what I'm allowed to say around him."

Victoriana just shrugged at that. "If you insist." Why was her tone so... blasé? This was nothing short of a heavy accusation! "Tell him anything about what you've been learning. Show him your meticulous notes, if you must. Unfortunately without the Gift, he won't understand it as intimately as the others will."

Well... at least it was an answer. Ian would at least try to make Aeric understand, then. And he probably would, given how intuitive and intelligent he was. This thing about control, though? He wasn't sure what to think about that.

"Come now, we're wasting precious time together," said Victoriana, quickly changing the subject. "Hand me your staff, please."

"Hand you my..." Ian's brow furrowed, getting it. "You... you _really_ think I'm ready for staffless magic?"

"I don't think. I know." She held out her manicured hand to emphasize her point. "Now, hand it over, and try to lift the tray of cookies Rosalinda so lovingly baked for us."

Ian took a deep breath, assuming the stance and holding a hand out like it was his staff, thinking hard about what he wanted. " _Aloft Elevar!_ " Nothing.

Victoriana sighed, examining his staff with a critical eye for the first time. "I now notice your staff has no markings from the Ancient Tree," she noted, twirling it slowly in her hands. "Where did you get this?"

"Well..." Ian could bet she wouldn't like this answer. "It's just a splinter I made bigger. The whole staff was my dad's, and then... I lost the rest of it in the ocean during battle. It's all I have. Aeric even offered to get me a new one for Winter Solstice, but... it's one of the only things of his that we actually connected on."

"I see." Her steel gaze, when it got so cold like that, made him feel like a bug under a microscope, always judging, always thinking. "Well, if you can conjure arcane lightning from a mere splinter, you can _certainly_ do staffless magic."

"What am I doing wrong, then?" he asked, sighing.

"That stance, for sure," she scoffed. "Where in the realms did you even learn how to stand like that to conjure magic?"

"My brother," Ian confessed, flushing. "He calls it the 'wizard stance.'"

"Your brother, the Quests of Yore fanatic?" She sounded like she might have scoffed again. "A wizard stance must feel _natural_ , not forced until it becomes muscle memory. Follow my lead. Feet at shoulder width. Now... think of a string, holding you up, going through your spine. Feel that string pull back, and tighten..." Ian thought of it, and _immediately_ his posture straightened itself out. "Good. Chin up slightly...

"And now... _feel_ the flow of magic coursing through you. It's a part of you, after all—do you feel it?"

Concentrating, Ian closed his eyes and tried not to think so hard. He nodded when he felt it at the base of his spine.

"Listen to your heartbeat, the core of it all. Your Heart's Fire. Think about what gives you that confidence and power." Barley's support. Mom's kindness. Aeric's love. The tingling moved up his back, through his legs, his hands, his head. His heartbeat slowed the more he relaxed into it. "Slowly lift your hand up. Be sure of your words. Magic may be shown as an extension through the staff, but only those who are _worthy_ have the Gift flowing through their veins. Now, speak."

" _Aloft Elevar_!" Ian cried confidently, and his fingers glowed the same as the tip of his staff would, if he were using it. The tray of cookies started to levitate, and Ian knew—he did that! He could _feel_ the magic flowing through him even stronger than it ever had before!

" _Perfect_." Out of the corner of his eye, Ian watched the corners of her mouth twitch upward the slightest bit. "You really are quite the _promising_ wizard, Iandore."

Once Ian set the tray down, he noticed the whole group had been watching, just as wide eyed as they'd been when Victoriana did her demonstration, before bursting into applause and smiles, shouting words of encouragement.

He actually did it—! He did staffless magic! And he wondered what else he could do with it, now that he had all the tools at his disposal...

And, even more importantly, he couldn't wait to tell Aeric and Barley!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a lot of media likes to explore Ian being able to do staffless magic... and I'm joining the fray, too! And I'm having a lot of fun writing Victoriana, mysterious as she is.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are insanely appreciated. Your feedback means the world to me.


	9. No Shoes, Dancing 'Round the Living Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before their First Anniversary date, Aeric receives some important news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a really hectic week in my country-but the good news is, we have a new president elect, and I got this chapter done on time! I honestly worried there for a hot minute, won't lie. But we're rolling on, business as usual, and now we're halfway done!

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 9:** _"No Shoes, Dancing 'Round the Living Room"_

How had it been a year already?

How could it have possibly been a year since Aeric tapped his shoulder, looked at his Willowdale sweatshirt, and thanked him for the opportunity to practice there? How could it have been a year since he went to his first game?

And how could it have already been a year since their first date, and first kiss?

Barley was definitely right; time flew once you had some fun. And this whole year with Aeric had been _bliss_ , from kissing someone for the first time to holding hands, his first dance...

And now here they were, campaigning with fliers and buttons for Prom Kings, studying together as a way to distract Aeric from the fact that his call from Willowdale about the sports scholarship he'd applied for was due, well... pretty much any day now. Aeric would hear if he was going to be a Griffin first, but with how he'd played his ass off all season, how healthy and wonderful and smart he was... there was no way they'd reject him. All Ian had was a decent essay about Dad. He had to wait with the rest of the plebs who applied for early acceptance.

Ian hated that their actual anniversary fell on a weekday where Aeric had practice, but that gave them an excuse to go all out on the weekend after, and at least gave him a bit more time to think about a gift.

Because Aeric, who always insisted he had everything, was _so hard_ to shop for.

"Make him something to wear!" Mom suggested, as Ian made a list of ideas to try and organize his thoughts.

"I'd have to use too much magic for that to get it done on time," he dismissed, knowing Aeric would like it more if he _didn't_ use a lot of magic for this. Sure, he started sharing more about _how_ he'd gotten so good, but Aeric still had a little bit of distance toward it, though he seemed to be warming up a bit more since their last conversation about it.

"Get him his own Quests of Yore copy!" Barley piped up as he set up his latest campaign on the dining table, as this weekend it was _his_ turn to host. Mom already bought two cases of Mountain Doom in preparation and planned to light candles.

"That's your solution to every gift," Ian retorted, rolling his eyes playfully. Sure, Aeric enjoyed the odd, slow campaign of Quests of Yore on occasion, but his rigorous sports schedule didn't leave much time to have fun like that. Hell, half the time they were together, Ian was either studying with him or helping him work out. Sometimes both.

"And I plan on doing the same for my beloved Queen Athena when the celebration calls for it!" Oh boy. Ian only hoped she was as into it as he was, but he couldn't imagine why she wouldn't be—it was Barley's greatest passion after fixing up Guinevere, after all.

"Well, Aeric's a fit guy, right?" Colt shrugged, reaching up to grab Mom a glass for her post-workout smoothie. "Maybe you could take another trip to the Willowdale bookstore and get him some sports equipment. He's probably going to need it for next year."

Ian thought about it, realizing that Aeric had been using his dad's old duffel from years ago, which looked like it was on the brink of falling apart. Maybe that, and some workout sweats... It could be the perfect gift. _Colt_ had a good idea!

"Yeah, that's... really great, Colt. I think I might actually do that, thanks." Ian smiled over at his stepdad, glad that they could share a nice moment.

So he went the extra mile and not only bought Aeric the duffel and sweats, but also took the time to embroider those, as well. He seemed to love the sweatshirt from Winter Solstice, hanging it lovingly in his room with the sole purpose of not wearing it _until_ he knew the status of his scholarship and application.

"I can't wait to match with you!" he always said, hugging Ian closer whenever he could.

Gods, Ian loved his boyfriend. He wanted to be just as close when it came to magic as they were over the summer, and he figured that would be his goal with Victoriana's blessing to share his findings. Be open with him and let him know pretty much everything he wanted to.

This wasn't just a first relationship for him—with how much they wanted to do together for the future... making everything with Aeric work perfectly again was top priority.

Which was why he got a reservation at Emerald Bites months in advance, one of the swankiest restaurants on the coast, closer to Willowdale than their neck of New Mushroomton. That would be another one of the surprises in store for his boyfriend, and Ian only advised that they should dress nicer than usual.

Which, for Ian, meant breaking out the gorgeous mushroom print dress Mom had gotten him on his birthday, and the matching heels from Aeric, paired with the Phoenix Gem necklace. Something full, pretty, and absolutely jaw-dropping to look as good as possible, coming from someone who used to stick in the shadows with his jeans before all this.

Ever since he started dressing up, though, all the attention he'd gotten _had_ been relatively positive. He had Tina to thank for that, forcing Ian into that old cheerleading outfit in the first place and showing him that skirts could be so... fun! Much as he still loved the comfort of jeans and flannels, too. He just chocked it up to gender being a bit weird and when he wanted to wear a skirt, he would wear one. And if he didn't? Also fine.

" _On my way_!" he sent to Aeric, gifts in hand as he headed out the door. Any second later than their reservation and he feared it'd be taken away from them for someone else!

But they lived close enough to where, on a normal day, Ian could walk if he felt it (and Aeric often did). On a special night like tonight? Not in these heels.

Ian parked in the driveway once he noticed the absence of Aeric's parent's car left a vacant space. They must be working, or out... to give the boys a bit of private time? He'd ask once he was in.

Of course, that question left his head the moment Aeric opened the door in a nice blazer and jeans, fully put together and gorgeous, as per usual, every strand of his usually messy teal tufts in perfect waves. His dazzling violet eyes widened when he looked Ian over.

"Oh, my gosh, Ian..." It was so similar to the first thing Aeric said on their first date. "Babe, you look incredible. This is the first time you actually wore the dress out!"

"Well, I was waiting for a special occasion," Ian admitted, walking in and kissing his boyfriend on the cheek (easy to do in these heels, of course). "And this is an _insanely_ special occasion." He held up Aeric's gift bag to emphasize.

"Why are you the best?" he sighed, stuffing his wallet in his pocket. "I know how much of a big deal this is, but we should get going, right?"

"Right!" Ian replied, smiling. "We're a little early right now, but we can't be too sure!"

"Okay, I'm all good, let's—" But Aeric paused at the sound of his phone vibrating. Blinking, Ian tilted his head, hoping it wasn't anything serious. "Oh, Shantar's Talon..." he uttered as he looked at the screen.

"What is it, Aer?" Ian asked.

"Willowdale recruiter," he said, and Ian's heart started to pound in anticipation for his boyfriend. "I'm sorry, Ian, but I _really_ have to take this."

"Of course." Luckily they were early. He'd certainly wait when it came to a call like this, and he took Aeric's hand to show his moral support.

"Hello? ... Yes, this is him." Aeric's brows suddenly furrowed in worry, and Ian had no idea what to gauge from it. He cradled his phone on his shoulder so he could use his free hand to push his glasses up his nose. "Mmhmm... Yes, I understand."

What was this call about? Was Ian going to have to do something about all the gifts he'd gotten Aeric that had Willowdale's logo on it?

"Yes, of course... Yes, that's fine... All right... Yes, thank you... You too." The whole time, his tone seemed monotonous, stagnant, even. Ian's heart kept pounding, fearing the worst for his boyfriend.

"Aer?" he asked, as Aeric ended the call and pocketed his phone, his mouth straight, his brow still furrowed. Ian dipped his head to try and read his expression more. "Babe, you okay?"

Aeric took a moment to sigh, his head hung low. But he squeezed Ian's hand tighter before he turned to face him, and then burst out into one of the hugest grins he'd ever seen. "Ian, I _got the scholarship_!" he cried, laughing as he picked him up by the waist and spun him around.

"What!" Ian laughed in return, equally as elated by the news. Aeric, going to Willowdale! It was all coming together so perfectly! When he was set down, he wrapped his arms around his boyfriend tight. "I just _knew_ you'd get it! I'm so proud of you!" And then, he added when he pulled away playfully, "Though I could have done without the theatrics."

Sighing, Aeric cupped Ian's jaw and brought him in for a deep kiss, one that conveyed all the shock and excitement he no doubt was still trying to process. When he pulled away, his grin became dopey, eyes wide like a kid in a candy store who was just told he could grab whatever he wanted. He even ran a hand through his perfect hair, and used the other to grab Ian's hand again. Ian noticed he was shaking, just a bit. "I can't believe it," he murmured. "I'm _actually_ going to play for Willowdale. I'm _actually_ going to be a Griffin."

Thank the gods. Ian's gift would be nothing short of appropriate, whenever Aeric eventually opened it. "Well, it's a good thing we're going out to celebrate! Our first year anniversary _and_ your acceptance? You're so lucky!"

Aeric hugged Ian close, a little tighter than normal so he could calm himself down a bit. "Thank you for taking a moment for me to answer that," he said, kissing the top of Ian's curls. "I know it's only a matter of time before you get your acceptance from them, too."

Sighing, Ian nuzzled into Aeric's neck, taking in the calming smell of the cologne he no doubt spritzed on mere moments before his arrival. "Don't worry about me right now," he assured. "This is _your_ moment, and I'm just glad I could share it with you. I'm just going to have to wait for my letter with the rest of the plebs." Well, acceptance decision _online_ , that was.

"You're not a pleb," Aeric replied, pulling away just far enough to take his hand again. "You're Ian Lightfoot, and we're going to go to Willowdale together." He pulled his phone out just to check the time. "Oh, crap, now we really have to get going to be on time! But I'm still a little shaky processing this. Do you mind driving, babe?"

"Not at all," Ian laughed, holding up his keys. "I was just about to offer, anyway. You don't even know where we're going!"

* * *

They made it to Emerald Bites ( _the_ Emerald Bites!) just on time, but had to opt for valet parking instead of looking around for somewhere more reasonable. Given _his_ call had pushed them back a few minutes, it was only fair for Aeric to offer to pay the fees and tip.

Still, it was all worth it. The day had already been going perfectly knowing that he and Ian would be going out to celebrate their first year anniversary, a year of absolute bliss and not only was it the longest relationship he'd ever been in, but certainly the healthiest so far, too. All he could hope, after Ian surprised him with these reservations, was that his own gift was enough (again, he really did go too far with his birthday).

Not to mention, they were halfway to that dream of attending Willowdale! Was it possible to be in another universe of bliss? Because he'd been on Cloud Nine since he and Ian shared their first date—and now they were about to go to college together!

Looked like he and Ian passed the dress code. Their centaur hostess, clad in the restaurant's signature emerald blazer for all employees, led them to a table to the side of the dimly lit dining room, all accents in cream and, well, emerald. Emerald curtains, emerald table liners, emerald cushions for their chairs... Ian stood out well in the flushed pink shade of the mushroom print dress, contrasted and easily the best dressed among everyone else (or maybe Aeric was just so biased to only keeping his eyes on his boyfriend).

"Your server will be by with water soon," the hostess assured, handing them menus. Aeric noted that even the little vases holding their flowers were emerald. "And I'll grab someone to light the candle for you."

"Thank you," Aeric dismissed with a smile, noting that even the _candles_ were emerald. They really leaned into that theme. He remembered Mom said Dad took her here the night he proposed, and she did talk about how _green_ everything was, but Aeric didn't think she was _serious_.

Ian looked around a moment, not glancing at the menu just yet. "Wanna see something cool?" he asked lowly, raising a brow at the candle.

Aeric tilted his head, a little confused. "Sure?"

Sitting up a little straighter, he reached out a hand toward the votive that held the little candle. " _Flame Infernar_ ," he uttered, and from his hand he produced a magical flame to the wick _without his staff_.

Eyes wide, Aeric inclined closer, looking at the candle as if he couldn't believe it. Magic without a staff? How was that _possible_?

 _What_ kind of magic was he learning with this group?

Sure, Ian had showed him notes he'd taken, which all had seemed normal on first glance. But there was a gap he was missing here—and unfortunately, Aeric, being "Giftless" as Victoriana called people who _couldn't_ do magic, he had to be kept out of the club.

"Oh, wow," was all he could say, then pushed his glasses up his nose.

Ian opened his mouth to speak, but their satyr waitress came with glasses and a chilled bottle of water for them to share, a bread plate, along with a lighter. "Oh, I could have sworn a lighter was needed here... No matter, here's some water for you two. And our specials for tonight are poached salmon over wilted greens with wild rice, and oxtail ravioli."

Sounded fancy as hell. "Thank you," he said.

"All right, let me give you a few moments to look over the menu. In the meantime, can I get you something else to drink?"

"Oh, just water is fine, thanks," Ian assured her with a smile, knowing this wasn't the usual parties they attended, where underage drinking was the norm (and taught Aeric the complete meaning of tolerance). The wine list, though, looked amazing on glance.

"Yeah, water's good," Aeric agreed with a nod.

When she left, they looked over the menu for a moment, where he decided that, screw it, he might as well get a great steak at a famous restaurant. And with that, he thought of how he could respond to Ian's new skills, too.

Under a layer of hope that Ian was improving, and nothing nefarious went on under the surface. Because, under better circumstances, he _would_ be insanely proud of his boyfriend.

But truthfully, all this power _scared_ him with the fast improvement.

"You're learning so much, babe," he said with a smile, hoping not to worry Ian. "Every time I see you try something new perfectly, it's honestly so shocking, I feel like you're gonna do even better once we're in college." Tie it all together... give him the optimism he needed that he'd be accepted to Willowdale, too.

"Of course," he chuckled, continuing, "that makes my gift seem a little less relevant." He pulled his little wrapped gift from his inside pocket, sliding it across the table.

Ian's already huge brown eyes grew to the size of the small plates in front of them, and he dropped the piece of bread he grabbed from the basket.

Laughing, Aeric shook his head. "Babe, I promise you, it's not a ring!" he assured, knowing that would be Ian's reaction. "But after seeing the huge gift you got me, along with taking me here, it might be kind of small..." Though it did cost quite a bit.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Ian took a sip of water before taking the gift out of Aeric's hand. "You sure you want me to open this first?" he asked.

"Here, maybe we should do it at the same time," Aeric decided, reaching over the table to grab the gift Ian got him. "Something tells me mine won't be as special."

"Hey, you know the size of the gift doesn't matter to me," Ian replied, starting to take apart the ribbon holding the box together.

Aeric got his open first, given Ian had used a gift bag instead of wrapping, and gasped. A new Willowdale duffel, with the same loving embroidery as the sweatshirt he'd been given for Winter Solstice, _and_ matching sweats! He had the best boyfriend in the realms! "Ian, how did you know?" he asked, breathless. Hell, now that he had his acceptance, Aeric could proudly wear this and the sweatshirt to school now! "Your magic doesn't make you see the future now, does it?"

"No," Ian giggled, pausing the unwrapping as he watched Aeric's reaction. "But I know your duffel is getting old, so I figured, might as well get you a new one, right? But there was no way you _weren't_ going to be a Griffin."

"Well, I love it, especially the embroidery. And the sweats. And you, of course."

"I love you, too." Ian grinned, finally opening up the tiny box delicately, and gasped. "Oh... Aer, is this what I think it is?" He held up the little silver charm, his voice breathless.

"I was hoping you'd wear the necklace tonight," Aeric confessed, nodding. "It goes so well with that gorgeous dress, and I found someone who would commission a charm of your staff." As in, the splinter staff that Ian had left of his dad's magic. Not big enough to overshadow the Phoenix Gem, but enough to be a cute accent beside it.

After Ian secured the charm on the necklace, he took Aeric's hand across the table, forgetting about the bread again. "This is so special to me, babe," he said, smiling. "Yeah, Victoriana did teach me how to properly learn staffless magic, but I can only do little things, like the candle, or lifting our water glasses. I still have to use my dad's staff for most magic. And knowing that, no matter what, I have this close to my heart, too..." He placed his free hand over the necklace, sighing happily. "It's perfect. Happy anniversary, Aeric."

"Happy anniversary," Aeric repeated, leaning over the table to meet Ian's lips in a loving kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and kudos are insanely appreciated. I try to reply as much as I can.


	10. Beautiful and Talking Shit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a home game, something terrible happens, and Ian makes a quick decision to try and reverse it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was honestly one of the chapters I couldn't wait to write! We're getting close to the endgame now!

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 10:** _"Beautiful and Talking Shit"_

Ian grinned at the proud "Lightheim for Prom Kings" posters about the hallways, and other than college, Prom seemed to be the only other thing on a senior's mind. Sure, he knew there were plenty of amazing, wonderful couples in their class, but was it bad to want this for himself? He still had Aeric's Spring Fling King crown on his bookcase, constantly reminding him of that amazing night if he ever woke up with the distinct feeling that the last year had never happened.

"When did you have time to campaign?" Ian asked on their way to lunch, pointing at one of the posters.

Aeric shrugged, deciding _now_ was the best time to act coy about something like this. "You know... just after school and stuff after practice. That one time we hung them up during Study Hall. Oh, and... might have called in a favor with my mom at the printers?"

Perks of having an editor mom, Ian supposed.

"Not to mention I always try to share a picture of us to my story every day on social media and all that," Aeric continued, and Ian realized he probably only promoted them, like... once. All other times, his only form of advertising just how cute he and Aeric were was, well... acting cute with him at school.

"Gosh, I'm sorry I'm not doing more..." Ian uttered, realizing that magic really _was_ taking a bigger priority than he realized—maybe he should find a way to make it part of their campaign! Aeric could make a button and Ian could use the multiplying spell on them so they could hand them out! Or hell, he could look into just _making_ a button with magic himself! It was a great way to incorporate what he'd been learning in the group! "But I have some ideas!"

"Well, there's still, like, a while until Prom. No need to put pressure on yourself." Aeric gave his obligatory fist bump to Gurge before they sat with the rest of the group, digging into their lunches.

"Some good news," Sadalia started, as she usually did. "I talked to Ms. Sparkleshaw, and I got the scholarship to Knolling Hills! Full ride!"

"What!" Everyone had to congratulate her for it—full ride was such a huge deal to such a great school.

"But Sadalia, I thought Willowdale was your first choice?" Kameron asked, a little confused.

"It is..." she replied, sighing. "But a full ride means my parents won't have to break the bank to send me to school. And I toured the campus this weekend—I really did like it! I can see myself there, so I'm gonna take it."

"Well, good for you, Sadalia!" Parthenope piped up, always the optimist. "Was that all Ms. Sparkleshaw had to tell you?"

"Not exactly..." She glanced at Aeric, grinning. "She actually called us _both_ into her office to tell us..."

Ian looked up at Aeric expectantly as he finished, "We're going to be Valedictorian and Salutatorian!"

"Wow, congratulations!" cried Althea, patting Sadalia on the shoulder. "You two definitely worked your butts off for that. More than I ever do, anyway."

"Well, you're so busy as the Alliance President!" Kameron pointed out to make her girlfriend feel better.

"Nah—Sadalia's a cheerleader and she made it happen," Althea replied. "There's no excuse."

Aeric shrugged, and Ian figured, given his boyfriend was on a team as well and made it this far... yeah, there was no excuse. "Doesn't mean you're not smart, or not going to a great college."

"Speaking of..." Gurge grinned, nudging Aeric playfully. "This boy's officially going to be playing for _Willowdale_! That recruiter definitely loved you!"

"Shucks, it was probably just a slow year," Aeric dismissed, waving a hand. "But I did read her notes. I'm honestly really surprised by some of what she said."

"Because she sees something special in you," Ian finally piped up, squeezing his arm. "It should be blatantly obvious."

"Well... the season's not over yet," said Aeric, trying to be cautious. "Not that they're really gonna _look_ at my performance much now, but... you know. I wanna keep it all up because I gotta start proving myself all over again, to the best of the best."

"I bet college games are even more fun than high school ones!" He could only imagine, Aeric actually being televised during some big games! A whole home field! Ian seriously couldn't wait to see where his boyfriend went with his sports career (though, to be fair, he still _barely_ understood the game).

"They're more fun now that we're seniors!" Sadalia pointed out, smiling. "Cheering is more fun, anyway. And we're all going to the home game Friday night, right?"

"Always!" Parthenope chuckled. "I love how home games kind of became our thing, you know?"

"Well, given about half of us are on a team of some sort, it only makes sense! _And_ one of us is dating someone on said team," Kameron teased, shooting Ian a wink.

"Gee, Tina _did_ make us all honorary cheerleaders... I guess that counts!" Ian replied, chuckling.

And Ian _did_ love going to games with his friends, who were still more than happy to try and explain it all to him (and, if Parthenope ended up at Willowdale, too, would continue to do so).

By the time Friday rolled around, Ian couldn't wait. It was Aeric's first game since hearing about the acceptance, and that should only propel him to do even better than usual. Of course, all Ian knew was to cheer if he caught the ball, threw the ball, ran the ball, or tackled someone else. That's how it worked, right?

And even now, he was on that fast track to that multiplying spell—but he still had yet to figure out how to make a button. Other candidates made stickers, but buttons lasted longer! And people really liked them! Mom said she'd ask around to see if she knew anyone that had a button maker, so that could help.

Up until now, Prom just seemed like something he could put on the back burner and let Aeric do all this work around campaigning, but just seeing how _busy_ Aeric got now, with school and with playing, and now with prepping for Willowdale, he should help! And now, well, the prospect of being Prom Kings, of having their picture in the yearbook with crowns and sashes and memories... He wanted it.

He wanted to be known as a Prom King, to leave behind a legacy here at NMHS the same way Aeric did. In ten years, a reunion would show everything Aeric had accomplished, so why couldn't Ian do the same, other than being the first known wizard to grace the halls? Dad would have done the same, or would have probably encouraged Ian to.

At the game, he sat near the front of the bleachers, his friends surrounding him and Aeric's varsity jacket slung over his shoulders, still far too big for it to fit him properly. Right now the Dragons led 21-7 just past the halftime mark, but the Knights, from what he heard from Gurge and Aeric, played an almost ruthless game. Sadalia and the other cheerleaders chanted their butts off, getting everyone into the school spirit, and Ian noticed even the Dragon mascot danced a little harder than usual.

This game meant everything to the school. No wonder Aeric seemed to be playing his butt off, and Gurge held back the Knights as best he could. Third quarter. All they had to do was keep them from scoring more than once (at least Ian knew that part of the game!). He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his leg jiggling like Aeric's usually did while they studied together, anxious for how the next quarter and a half would play out.

During the next play, the QB threw the ball back to Aeric, who started to run toward the end zone. A perfect way for him to score for the team, securing a great lead for the Dragons. He made it past the halfway mark on the field, still running, giving it his all...

And in an instant, the world stopped. Ian watched helplessly as one of the Knights' players tackled Aeric from the side, and then, a bloodcurdling scream. Aeric let go of the ball, and his hands went to his right shin instead. The Knights player jumped up, and though Ian couldn't gauge his expression through his helmet, he seemed horrified.

"Aeric!" Ian felt himself cry out, immediately standing. His friends moved back to make room for him, everyone gasping in the crowd once they realized there had been an injury on the field. He couldn't get down there fast enough, quickly rushing past the cheerleaders and players on the bench to kneel beside Aeric, Coach beside him as he tried to get his attention.

"I swear I didn't know," the Knights player said shakily, feeling all the guilt rising through him.

"I-it's okay," Aeric eked out, trying to sit up. "You're playing a great game."

"Kelby, talk to me," said Coach, kneeling onto his front legs. "Is it broken?"

"I think so..." Aeric winced, and Ian checked out his leg, feeling his stomach sink. That was _not_ normal for how an elf leg was supposed to look.

"Damn it, we're gonna have to send in subs," Coach grumbled. "And call you an ambulance."

Ian took Aeric's hand, squeezing tight. "Babe, where are your parents?" he asked lowly. Gods, that looked so horrible—what about the scholarship? Prom? The rest of the year? Would Aeric be okay?

"They're... out," he sighed, holding onto Ian's hand for dear life. Squeezing his hand probably distracted him from the pain, and Ian didn't mind that. "Fuck, I can't believe this."

Aeric so rarely cursed—but Ian knew this was also helping the pain. "I'm right here," he assured, trying his best not to cry, but who knew once they got to the hospital? How strong could he be during all this? "We're gonna call your mom, okay?"

"No—not yet. Please, babe?" Aeric pleaded, holding Ian's hand tighter. "She's getting an award for the magazine she edits and I can't take that from her; she worked so hard..."

"Okay..." Ian replied shakily. "Later, then, but you know we have to at some point."

"Just... I need you," Aeric pleaded, panting. Ian wiped the sweat from his teal brow and kissed his forehead. "Please, Ian, I can't be alone..."

Ian nodded, and he was there for when Aeric got loaded onto a stretcher, when the medics took off his cleat and padding, and his stomach churned at the sight of his boyfriend's leg so mangled, with the bruising, and the way it _twisted_ off the bone... And he was there in the ambulance, making sure Aeric had _someone_ through all this. The Dragons would still play, of course, but without one of their star players... who knew where they stood.

When Barley broke his arm last year, Ian had barely seen any of it—he just remembered that it happened while he was working on Guinevere, and Mom had taken him to the hospital while Ian walked and fed Blazey. Next thing he knew, Barley had a black cast he couldn't wait to doodle on, and he described the two most painful experiences in the world: the second worse being the bone snapping out of place, the worst being the doctors snapping the bone back _into_ place.

And Ian was here for the whole horror of this, of holding onto Aeric helplessly, because he couldn't do complicated magic without his staff, no charm spells or anything to calm his boyfriend down. No, he had to be there for that _painful_ experience, watching Aeric scream as the doctor, a very no nonsense cyclops with a high ponytail, set his leg bone back in, then checked him into a real hospital room after they reached the ER.

"Look, we had to call your parents," the doctor sighed. "Having company helps, but unfortunately, both you and your boyfriend are still minors. They're on their way."

Aeric sighed, laying back on the hospital bed. "I probably ruined her night."

"Hush," Ian replied, wishing he could curl up with Aeric, but with the contraption keeping his leg elevated, the huge cast on his foot... "What's gonna happen to you and your scholarship?"

Sighing again, Aeric turned to face him. They'd been in such a rush that he had no time to take his contacts or hair out, some strands coming loose from his bun. "The scholarship will probably be fine, at least for first semester," he assured. "But I probably can't play for the rest of the season, and I'll probably have to spend the whole summer practicing my ass off to keep up once it's fully healed."

Ian couldn't have that for Aeric, not when he worked so hard for this. What about Prom? Would he have to hobble onstage to deliver his Salutatorian speech at graduation?

"Hey, I'll be okay," he assured, reaching over to squeeze Ian's hand once he read his expression. "Having you here with me means this isn't the worst night ever."

"But you can't do what you love for at _least_ six weeks." Six weeks where Aeric couldn't exercise, or swim, or play with the team... Why was he taking this so calmly? Was it the pain meds he was on and the fact that the doctor wanted to keep him overnight for observation since it was so late?

Before Aeric could answer, Fiske and Della burst into the room, still in their formal wear. Fiske had a duffel over his shoulder, probably stopping at home first to gather some stuff for Aeric being here overnight.

"Baby, we came as soon as we heard!" Della exclaimed, reaching over her tank to pepper her son's face in kisses. "Why didn't you text us?"

"I had Ian, Mom," Aeric explained, trying to calm her down. "I didn't want to ruin your night."

"Ruin my—" She smacked Aeric's arm playfully. "It would have gotten me out of the most _boring_ night of the year! How dare you think I wouldn't drop everything for my kid breaking his leg!" Sighing, she turned to face Ian, finally acknowledging him with tears welling in her brown eyes. "But thank the gods for you, Ian. You're an absolute angel, staying here this late with him."

"Anything for Aeric." Ian nodded, but his heart pounded in such worry for his boyfriend. "But what about sports? He's gonna be okay, right?"

"Don't worry, Ian," Fiske assured, his mustache twitching up into a smile. "We've been through worse scrapes. Aeric's still got his scholarship, and he's still on the right track with his studies. This is just a little setback, is all." He fished into the duffel for a contact lens case and Aeric's familiar, round glasses, handing them to his son so he could finally rest. To Ian, it seemed more like an excuse, a lie to make them both feel better. This is why Mom should let him bring his staff to school, for things like this!

"I guess..." He'd never felt so helpless, despite being so powerful! He had to do something. "I can call my mom to pick me up."

"Oh, no, no, Ian, let Fiske drive you home so you don't worry her," Della offered, nodding up at her husband. "They're only gonna let one of us stay with him, anyway."

"Okay..." He waited until Aeric put on his glasses, before leaning over to kiss his cheek. "But I'm coming by tomorrow, too."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Aeric replied, shooting Ian the most assuring smile he could. "Really, thanks for being here with me. I love you."

"I love you, too." Ian still felt a little strange, saying it in front of his parents, but Della ended up just offering him a hug in return.

"We'll see you soon, okay?" she said, hugging him a little too tight. But he said nothing, figuring Della just needed, well, _something_. "Give our best to your mom."

Silently he and Fiske got into the family sedan, and that's when the wave of tiredness finally overcame him. Ian realized that, much as he'd talk with Della, he so rarely did with Aeric's dad, always busy with lawyer stuff. And he didn't have either Della or Aeric to help lead he conversation.

"Have you dealt with something like this before?" Ian asked, trying to break the silence. Through it all, he still wore Aeric's varsity jacket, forgetting it was even on in the first place.

Fiske sighed. "He broke his arm back in middle school, but this was before he was on any real organized team," he explained. "We're just lucky that everything with school is working out. And you know how hard Aeric works. He'll be back in peak shape once this heals in no time."

"But keeping the scholarship, and then with all the senior activities coming up..." Ian had to try and keep himself together before breaking down. "I could have done something."

"Hey, don't go down the guilt route," Fiske assured, and at a stoplight, he rested an assuring hand on Ian's shoulder. "I've been there, and it's easy to spiral down quick."

Ian almost asked why, but held his tongue. He couldn't imagine how much guilt Fiske must have felt when Aeric's birth mom left, and he couldn't possibly bring that up so many years after the fact, after he'd found time to grow and love again.

Fiske continued, "Aeric broke his leg doing what he loved, for the team he's proud of. I'm sure he doesn't regret making that play for a second."

It still didn't make Ian feel much better, but he nodded, agreeing. "I suppose not..." He wouldn't dare ruin this nice moment he was having with his boyfriend's dad. "You're surprisingly calm about all this."

"Years of worrying just to realize it all happens for a reason," Fiske replied, sighing. "I used to damn near have a panic attack when Aeric got so much as a scrape as a kid. But coddling kids... won't let them experience anything they need to. Della taught me that."

Maybe Ian had something to gain from that way of thinking. When Fiske pulled up to his house, Ian even gave him a hug, and thanked him for the ride. Underneath the stoicism was a man who had gone through a realm of hurt, and they both had that underlying want to keep Aeric safe.

But unlike Fiske, he couldn't let it go, or let it be. He barely registered Mom's pestering questions as he explained what happened, his mind so focused on Aeric and how Victoriana had continuously told him he _had_ the power to do amazing things. Well, shouldn't he put that all to good use? Wasn't that why he had the Gift in the first place?

When he finally checked his phone, he noticed a message from Parthenope, saying Aeric's broken leg ended up costing the Dragons their win. Great. Just another cherry on top of a terrible evening.

He tried to sleep, cuddled up with Aeric's jacket that smelled so much like him, knowing that if he just let things be, he couldn't have those moments curled up together for weeks. Or rather, they wouldn't be the same for a while. He couldn't lay on Aeric's back while he did push ups, couldn't count his laps or time his runs. Aeric _needed_ to be able to run. He needed to play out senior year the way he deserved, not worrying about a cast, or crutches, or a boot!

No, he couldn't have that. Ian shot up and grabbed his Quests of Yore book and his staff, taking notes and feeling the magic tingle down his spine. The Healing Spell could work, of course, but he wanted to tailor this _perfectly_ to Aeric, to leave no room for error.

He could do this. He could surprise Aeric with this, and they could pretend none of this happened. He'd be able to skip down the halls on Monday, and brag that Ian had helped him out! Once he had that all planned out, he finally got a few winks of sleep, still wearing Aeric's jacket with the thought that they would be back to normal the second they got back to school, and he wouldn't have to worry about rehabilitating his leg back into perfect health after being cooped up until after graduation.

Feeling refreshed, Ian made his way to the hospital early with his staff, even stopping at the market to pick up a bouquet for his boyfriend. Magic—how amazing was it? And he knew how much Aeric loved seeing it in action.

When he got to the hospital, Della snoozed away in her tank, and now doubt Aeric was still knocked out from being on crazier pain meds. Quietly he set the flowers on the little stand by the bed, and pulled out the copy of the spell he took on his phone, then assumed the stance Victoriana taught him, hovering his staff over Aeric's cast.

" _Sanitaeum incantata—hear this plea._

_Reverse time; bring back what has been broken._

_Sanitaeum incantata—for this, I decree_."

Okay, so he still had to work on writing spells, but he wished for Aeric's leg to heal, felt it so completely that his staff immediately granted it, glowing a bright yellow as it seemed to work. Not like he could really tell with such a huge cast on Aeric's leg—but he had a feeling it worked!

All he could do now was sit back and just wait for Aeric and Della to just naturally wake up, maybe even grab breakfast once he was dispatched! How long would it take once the doctor took an x-ray to determine everything was perfect? Ian thought of Carls, and wondered if she ever did this with any of her patients. She must have by now—everyone's improvement genuinely shocked him since they all started meeting up, and honestly, they all had Victoriana to thank for putting them all together, bringing each other up.

Della woke up soon after, stretching her arms over her head. Ian noticed she changed into a wetsuit, given hospitals weren't exactly the _warmest_ places. "Ian—you're here early," she said through her yawn. "And you brought flowers? And... your staff? You think they'll let you use magic in here?"

"Just did," Ian admitted, biting his lip. "I've been doing a lot of practicing, and I thought I might do something to help Aeric out." His eyes darted briefly to his leg.

Della's jaw dropped, immediately getting it. "You _didn't_ ," she said, more out of disbelief than genuine surprise.

Ian shrugged. "I had to... I felt so helpless last night, and Aeric deserves to still play for the team, and dance at Prom, and walk perfectly across the stage for Graduation..."

"Well, that's gonna give the doctor a scare—I love it!" she chuckled, rolling over to Ian to give him a hug. "You really are the best kid for my boy. Thank you."

"Oh... thanks, Della." If Aeric had even a tenth of that reaction, today would surely be so much better than the one before. But he wasn't waking his boyfriend up just yet.

"All right. If I don't get coffee, I'm not gonna be able to function. You want something from the cafeteria? Eggs? A sandwich? It's the least I can do."

"No, I'm fine, thanks." Ian shook his head. "I'll just wait for Aeric to get up and break the news."

"If you insist." She shrugged, then piled her auburn hair up into a bun. "I might bring you something, anyway." Which meant she definitely would.

Ian just scrolled through his phone aimlessly as he waited for Aeric to wake up, the disappointment in every Dragon's story as they recounted the game, as well as even a few shocked kids when Aeric broke his leg, and how crazy it all was. Well, now that he'd saved their runningback from sitting out the rest of the semester, they'd really start to take magic seriously!

When Aeric stirred, Ian moved his chair closer to the bed and moved a hand up to brush his hair back. It happened so rarely, but he loved being around to see Aeric wake up, for those gorgeous violet eyes to blink open and take him in.

"Ian..." he uttered, his voice a little scratchy. "You're here so early."

"I have a surprise for you," Ian replied with a smile, handing Aeric his glasses.

"The flowers?" Aeric inclined his head to the stand. "They're gorgeous, babe, thanks."

"Not just that." He really couldn't contain his grin. "Can you try something for me?"

"Gimme a sec..." Reaching over for the water pitcher, he poured himself a glass and downed it to get himself up a little better, before adjusting himself in the pillows. But Aeric then stared blankly at his foot, almost confused. "My leg... why can I move it normally?"

"Surprise!" Ian giggled, reaching over to grab his staff, then leaned in to kiss his boyfriend's cheek. "I healed it with magic! Now you don't have to worry about playing, or not exercising!"

But Aeric wasn't smiling. No, he was _frowning_ , wiggling his toes to test out the waters. Maybe he was still getting over the initial shock of it all. "Babe... not that I'm ungrateful, because this is absolutely incredible, and I can't thank you enough, but... you didn't ask me if I wanted this."

Ian never felt a smile disappear so quickly off his own face. "Why does that matter?" he asked lowly. "Shouldn't it be a given that you want your leg healed up? I just... did what was best for us."

"For us or for _you_?" Aeric asked, in almost an _accusatory_ tone.

Ian leaned back at that, his own brow furrowing. " _Why_ would this be for me?" Was he serious right now?

"I dunno, to prove yourself for a story to your magic group?" Aeric threw up his hands for a moment. "So you can brag about how good you are at magic instead of thinking about how other people might react?"

"That's..." But it had occurred to him that, well, the group would appreciate it, especially Victoriana, for coming up with his own spell that came with so many complications. "I mean, the team will be grateful that I healed you up, so you can still play!"

"So it _is_ for you!" Aeric huffed. "My body isn't something you can just play with! What if the spell backfired? What if it made things worse? What then, Ian?"

"But it didn't!" Why wasn't Aeric getting this? Why was he _mad_? "Why are you acting like this?"

"I dunno, maybe it's because you didn't _ask_ me first?" Aeric repeated. "What I want matters, too. And maybe I came to accept that I would be off my feet for the rest of the season."

"So what, you're saying you _wouldn't_ want me to heal you if I'd _asked_ first?"

"I didn't say that." He sighed, and Ian could tell he was trying not to raise his voice. But why was this a point of argument? Why _were_ they arguing? Della was happy about this! "But you didn't give me a _choice_ , and that's where it matters. Is that what your group thinks? That you should just blindly trust magic as the best way to go about things and no one should question it?"

"So what, you want me to _reverse_ the spell and then _ask_ just to make you feel better?" Did Aeric realize how stupid that sounded?

Aeric closed his eyes a moment, sighing heavily. " _No_ ," he decided. "I just want you to know that next time you decide to try magic on me, you _ask_ me first. Don't use it just for an ego trip to show how powerful you are, because I _know_ that's not why you started casting spells in the first place. Is that what that woman taught you?"

"Her name is Victoriana," Ian replied defensively. "And maybe I _should_ start showing off how good I'm getting with magic. Maybe then someone else will appreciate it, because clearly right now my own _boyfriend_ doesn't."

"Ian, I don't want to fight about this when it's after the fact." Aeric reached over to take his hand. "I just want you to know that doing this without my permission was _wrong_. I'm not ungrateful, and now I get to do what I love, but you _have_ to remember that for next time. You're an amazing wizard who's always been able to do great things. But I don't want you to become a selfish or egotistical one, and you just showed me that might just be happening."

Ian opened his mouth to say something, but Della came in with the doctor, who blinked in surprise when she saw the staff, saw Aeric's toes wiggling normally.

"I heard about the magic, but I didn't think it was possible to completely heal a whole bone," she said, starting to examine Aeric's leg. "Well, I guess we'll take some x-rays, and if you're really good to go, we'll just... send you home, and that's that."

"I feel a lot better," Aeric admitted. "Sometimes my boyfriend can't help but show off how _amazing_ he is."

Was that a hint of _sarcasm_ in his voice? Ian frowned, but decided to see the whole day through, given they still had homework, and now that Aeric was healed up, he could even work out, if he wanted. After all, magic would only become a bigger part of his life, and Aeric just had to realize that, if they still wanted to be as strong as, well, the night before.

He had to get over this, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoping to finish this madness all up by the end of the year!
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are insanely appreciated.


	11. That's Why They Envy Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian receives some huge news about his future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I really can't believe how close we are to the climax here! But things are about to get worse before they get better... Much as I'm having fun writing this!

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 11:** _"That's Why They Envy Me"_

" _Dear Iandore,_

 _Congratulations on your acceptance into Willowdale College! We hope you'll consider joining us next semester as part of our continuing, rich legacy. As a new Griffin..._ "

But Ian stopped reading after that, breathing a sigh of relief as he leaned back in his seat after he got the e-mail. Willowdale. Dad. Aeric.

It was all really happening.

"Well, hon, what did it say?" Mom asked, trying to refrain from looking over Ian's shoulder to look at the letter. She had to hold onto Colt's hands just to keep herself from acting too nosey.

"Yeah, come on, Ian, tell us!" Barley goaded, actually _threatening_ to look at his laptop screen.

Oh, who was he kidding? He couldn't keep it in any longer! "I got in!" he cried, breaking into a giant smile.

"Sir Iandore of Lightfoot is _gonna be a Griffin_!" Barley exclaimed, picking his little brother up in a celebratory hug.

"Oh, honey, congratulations!" Mom reached over and kissed Ian's cheek. Even Blazey got into the excitement, jumping up to hug Ian by the waist. "I promise you're gonna love it!"

"Great job, sport." Colt gave an obligatory thumbs up, but Ian went out of his way to hug his stepdad, too. This was a time to celebrate everything!

"Well, I can't believe we got a piece of news as big as this _before_ Aeric," Mom chuckled, making a joke of it.

But that had Ian's smile faltering for a moment. It'd been a full week since he healed Aeric's leg—and yeah, they acted like things were okay in front of their friends, and they still sat together in the classes they had, but other than that? Pretty much silence. No times after school getting coffee and hanging out, no late "I love you" texts. Sure, they said it in school, and Ian caught on Aeric's story their continued campaign for Prom Kings, but they seemed to just be _acting_ the part of boyfriends instead of just... being. Which was so dumb! If he didn't love Aeric, he wouldn't have wanted to heal his leg in the first place! Obviously he loved his boyfriend more than ever, and now they were more than likely to attend college together. He still _wanted_ Aeric. But he wanted Aeric to understand just how much magic meant to him now, and that it would just continue to be part of his life well into college.

Of course, when he asked why Aeric acted so distant when he could miraculously walk with this spell, Aeric had just said, "We could forget it all if you apologize for not asking to heal my leg first."

Well, that was rich. Ian wasn't going to concede with that attitude coming from his boyfriend. And with Victoriana postponing meetings for a week, Ian couldn't even discuss it with anyone. Sure, there was the group chat, but he hated trying to read people's tones over text when it came to something so heavy—one of the biggest struggles when it came to being on the spectrum, especially when, on the outside, nothing about him looked out of the ordinary. It was why he and Aeric usually didn't text anything too heavy.

No, he had to just wait for the next meeting. And boy, what a wait it was.

This news, though, getting into Willowdale, might actually overshadow that.

"Well, now, this calls for a celebration!" Colt declared, clapping a hand on Ian's shoulder. "Wherever you want to go, Ian. It's our treat."

"Ooh, we can invite Aeric!" Mom piped up, obviously unaware of the situation. As far as his family knew, Aeric had been totally okay with Ian healing up his broken leg (selflessly!) on a whim. "Celebrate the two new Griffins heading off into the real world!"

Oh, Ian didn't know if he could handle that, pretending he and Aeric were completely okay in front of the family. Sure, he'd tell his boyfriend. But not with this. "Um... actually, Mom, I was hoping we could just celebrate with the family," he said. "I can celebrate with Aeric another time."

"Alright, alright." Mom laughed, kissing the top of Ian's head. "We'll let you two have your moment later. Where do you want to go, sweetie?"

"Let's go to Corey's," Ian decided, smiling. "She'll probably be thrilled to know, too." And, in all honesty, it was _such_ a catalyst to his growth into becoming a bolder, better person. Of _course_ he wanted her to know about Willowdale.

"I'll call her now," said Mom, pulling out her phone. "You go on ahead and get ready."

Once upstairs, Ian shot Aeric an obligatory shot of his acceptance letter to show he got in, with a little note: " _Can't wait to be there with you_ ," and three blue hearts.

Because even during this little tough spot, Aeric was his rock, his love, his boyfriend. He saw a future with this amazing guy—and he couldn't wait for it.

Now if only said boyfriend would move on from this little disagreement!

* * *

As expected, Aeric did seem to overlook everything about his leg once he got the news about Ian's Willowdale application, focusing more on trying to get back to their sense of normalcy. Of course, the second they saw each other after getting the news, Aeric immediately picked him up into a sweeping kiss, the kind that took Ian's breath away and in an instant, all was forgiven—even if they just seemed to be brushing past it instead of talking it out, like they'd promised so long ago.

But now wasn't the time to hold a grudge, not when they were going to Willowdale together! Well... whenever he decided to formally accept and fill out all the paperwork and all that. He still had some time before the deadline hit, and usually he was great about not procrastinating. Now he could affect the culture and stigma against magic in college! And now it was something he could _really_ bond over with Morgana, who'd been pestering him about his status for near a month now.

" _Finally_ , I feel like I can breathe a sigh of relief," Aeric admitted, once he was proud enough to declare that not only were he and Ian a power couple, but future Griffins, now, too. "I would have hated being there without you."

"Well, now we don't have to worry about that," Ian assured, wrapping his arms around Aeric's midsection. "And with the way things are going now, it's totally smooth sailing to graduation." Barely any homework, senior activities and Prom just around the corner...

Groaning, Aeric held Ian closer. "Don't remind me!" he lamented. "My senioritis is already kicking in! You know how hard it is for me to concentrate as is!"

"I'm not going anywhere," replied Ian, scrunching his nose up at his boyfriend. "Right now my only priorities are you and this group. This whole school year has pretty much been a blur!"

"It's been pretty great, hasn't it?" Aeric sighed. "It's only gonna get better, you know. And I know people think jocks and other popular kids peak now, but how could I have peaked when I'm about to go to my dream school with my dream guy? Ooh, that's good, I should put something like that in my speech." He whipped out his phone to make a note before he forgot it.

Well, at least Ian didn't have to worry about _that_. Of course, that wouldn't stop him and their moms from recording it once he was onstage.

"Well, I went from lonely nerd to popular kid in no time at all. Perks of being a wizard dating a jock, I suppose. Since, ya know, we're both nerds."

"The biggest nerds," Aeric reiterated, nuzzling their noses together. "Gods, if I wasn't doing sports, I'd double major, but now I have to settle with minoring."

"You do so much already," Ian sighed. "One thing at a time, babe. Big things are coming for us."

"You're probably right about that."

Oh, Ian knew he was. He kissed Aeric, but the big things weren't about graduation.

He knew the break from the group _must_ have had something to do with Victoriana researching more into Vesshydar's Diamond, and where it could possibly be. True, it needed to be revealed with an insane amount of magic (from the little he could find out, from both online and from Barley), but Ian figured she had a good reason as to why she didn't want the rest of the group with her. They were all still learning, after all.

And when Ian could, since he still had high school, he tried to join them on a few get togethers, mostly just going out to eat and hanging out in the park to practice some magic together. Lili admitted that she'd never had such a big, supportive friend group before, and everyone had to agree, especially Ian.

For so long, he only had Barley. Now he had his group at school. These cool people.

Aeric.

At the next meeting, Ian gave Ferry a fist bump, and sat in between Cord and Morgana, smiling shyly. He still had yet to tell her about his acceptance, but that was all coming out in the open once the meeting got started—and something told him that he probably had the most eventful fortnight since they all last saw each other, with Aeric's leg and college acceptance all in one fell swoop. Still, he loved hearing everyone's stories, how they all got on using magic, and all the little ways they were incorporating it into their lives, even just using the levitation and animation spells to clean messy rooms. It assured him that they could balance a magical life with, well... a normal one.

"Alright, alright, please calm yourselves." Victoriana wore her calm smirk well. Was it just Ian, or was there a hint of a wrinkle near the corner of her mouth? Usually she was so... flawless, like an old movie star. Despite the one thing, everyone settled quickly, taking their seats around the circle. "I know we've taken a bit of a break, which I'll explain after Affirmations. In the meantime, would anyone care to share something eventful since the fortnight break?"

In this case, Ian couldn't wait to go first. He started with the Willowdale acceptance, which had Morgana's eyes wide and the rest of the group congratulating him on getting into such a good school, especially after he'd explained that it was where his dad went (and planted a tree for his mom!). And then he got into Aeric's leg, how the injury happened, and that he'd healed it perfectly—only for Aeric to be mad at him! And, as expected, pretty much everyone shook their head in disapproval for Aeric acting so ungrateful for the aid of magic to help him _walk_ again so soon.

Carls, though, the nurse she was, actually thought differently.

"He has a point," she said with a shrug. "Permission _is_ such an important part of the healing process. Someone has to _want_ it before we can help them. It's why I always ask my patients if I can assist magically, if I can."

"Well, Iandore, thank you for sharing your rather eventful fortnight," Victoriana interrupted, standing. Why did she want to close that down so quickly before he had a chance to respond? But Ian had to shut up, and sat down. "Does anyone else have a story to share?"

And sure, the rest of the group shared, Lili's being especially exciting with how she'd been able to do some simple, staffless magic, as well. The improvement in everyone was impeccable—they'd learned more in these few months than Ian had ever learned before senior year. Why hadn't he fought harder to find more magical people in New Mushroomton? Was it because he didn't have a car then?

But he had this group now. And he really felt they could be friends for years to come, when everyone from high school faded into obscurity and anonymity.

"I've some news," Victoriana reminded once they finished Affirmations. "I apologize that we haven't met for some time. But I saw this."

She held up an old map, one that looked like it'd been through the wringer and made out of something that seemed impossible, like dragon skin. And yet... it was a map of New Mushroomton, with all the current streets and highways. Near the coast, atop the map's brown ink, showed a glow where they were, at the community center, and other places they'd performed magic: at various ballrooms and meeting centers around town.

"I've been enchanting this old map, which my teacher gave to me as a finder of magical artifacts. It can't completely find the Diamond, but it can at least mark where we've been. Any surge of huge magic might set the Diamond off. And I skipped group to _try_ and find it when I saw a surge—unfortunately, I got no closer."

When Victoriana sighed, the rest of the group did, as well, like they all felt her frustration.

"I do believe we're close, though—and I believe we're on the verge of unlocking all our magical capabilities and bringing that balance to all. There _was_ a surge I noted near the coast—" She pointed to a circle she'd made near Scale Cove, a dangerous, beach cave area for most creatures outside of mermaids, "—and I believe that's our best bet. We must start preparing ourselves."

Rose flew up, her way of raising her hand, since she was so much smaller than the rest of the group. "I read that there are a few circumstances to do the type of magic we want on the Diamond," she said. "Does this mean we have to be ready by a certain point?"

"I do believe so," Victoriana replied with a nod. "The end of next month marks the Blue Moons—the perfect night for conjuring the most powerful magic. But I know you all will be ready by then, which means we _must_ start meeting more frequently. More one-on-one time, more peer work, more time where we're practicing magic _together_. I'll be talking to you all individually to help with that."

More time devoted to the group? Ian certainly _wanted_ that, but he still had a few months of school left! How was he going to do this?

Ian paired up with Morgana, so they could talk more about Willowdale, at least. But Morgana had majored in digital photography with a minor in business, two things that really didn't interest him. Maybe there could be some overlap.

"So, are you and your boyfriend gonna dorm together? I heard the Rutherford dorms are pretty great for people on the team, but I only lived on campus for my first two years." She grabbed a keychain from her purse, using that as something to toss around with Ian using the levitation spell for their warm-up. "It's close to the field for those early morning and late night practices."

"I'm not sure yet," Ian admitted, doing a little flair before tossing it back to her. "Rutherford is pretty close to Frat Row..." And after what happened at Tina's party, _certainly_ not something he wanted to interact with anytime soon.

"Ah, gotcha." Smirking, Morgana decided to try her staffless magic, holding the ball up with one hair while she clipped her thick curls back with the other. Impressive. "Is he gonna pledge?"

"I don't think so," Ian replied. Aeric had never shown any interest in it, from what he knew... the only upside would probably be all the test perks, but was it worth it for the hazing? Probably not, not with Aeric's sensitivity, anyway. "We haven't really talked about it, but that's pretty much like moving in together, right?"

"Come on, Ian, put your staff down!" Morgana goaded, tossing the keychain again. "And yeah, I guess it is. I never really had any long term relationships, just casual stuff. But if you think you're gonna spend the rest of your life with this guy... maybe that's a natural next step for you."

"Yeah, maybe..." Ian set down his staff, but he always had a more difficult time trying to do staffless magic while having a conversation. But then again, this made for good practice. The good thing was, if he moved in with Aeric into a dorm, he wouldn't really have to meet anyone new or deal with their living habits. But maybe Aeric needed someone who was just as active. Looked like there was another conversation for them to have in the near future. "But I still haven't filled out all the acceptance paperwork and stuff yet."

"Ian, you've gotta do that ASAP!" Morgana chided with a chuckle. "What's holding you back? Your dad went there—I mean, I used to study under the Laurel tree all the time! There's a whole history and legacy to learn all about your dad, and isn't that what you wanted more than going to the same school as your boyfriend?"

She made a good point. Before Ian could answer that he would do it as soon as he got home, Victoriana tapped his shoulder. "Iandore, a moment, please?"

"Um... yeah." She must have been asking everyone about their schedules, and of course Ian could only adhere to whatever was after school and on weekends. Morgana nodded in understanding and joined Lili and Cord for the moment.

Once they were in a corner of the room, out of earshot from everyone, Victoriana's voice lowered a bit. "I don't want to say this in front of the group, but I do believe you're the most capable out of all of them, Gifted as they are. Which is why I want you to lead with me in spellcasting once we find the Diamond."

His eyes widened, clutching to his staff tighter. _He_ , the greatest wizard in the group? But what about Morgana, or Lili, or Rose? They'd shown so much more improvement! "Y-you really mean that?" he squeaked out.

"Mean it? Dear boy, I _know_ it. The raw energy and power I feel from your magic is enough to bring the realms to their knees. The others are learning, but when you're in the right mindset, you're unstoppable. Are you or are you not the wizard who used _two_ Phoenix Gems to perform a complicated Visitation Spell and used arcane lightning only using a splinter?"

Ian shrugged; he couldn't deny that. When he didn't think, he supposed he could do some great magic. "Won't that put the others off?" he asked.

"Not at all," she assured. "I've broken that down for them, and they've all agreed that you're clearly the most talented wizard here. But I need more time with you, one-on-one. This current schedule isn't unlocking your full potential."

Flushing, Ian only tensed up more. "It's hard with school and all... I really only have after school and weekends."

Was that a flash of disappointment in her grey eyes? He swallowed thickly, wishing there was another way.

Sighing, she placed a manicured hand on his shoulder. "I didn't want to say it in front of Carlson, but you were right in your actions, to heal your Giftless friend."

"Boyfriend," Ian corrected.

"Yes, well. Magic is impulsive. You know best that your talents come when you're not overthinking it, or doubting yourself. What mindset were you in once you found out he broke his leg?"

"Helpless," Ian admitted. "I didn't have my staff and all that mattered was getting him feeling well so he could still play and wouldn't have to catch up once he healed. And so we could dance at Prom, and he could walk the stage and deliver his speech. All that mattered was getting him healed up."

"You did the right thing," she assured, squeezing his shoulder lightly. To be honest, hearing that validation had him breathing a sigh of relief—all the guilt Aeric made him feel for doing this was just too much. "He's just not appreciating your qualities. To be honest... I believe he's jealous of your Gift."

"You really think so?" Not that Aeric had ever given any indication of that...

"You mentioned it yourself—he asked to see what goes on in your meetings. Is that not a little too suspicious, like he's monitoring your every move?"

Ian thought about the notes he had to share, the times the meetings went down, how he'd been so upset that he dropped out of his extracurriculars. She really had a point here! "I never thought about it like that... I guess you're right."

"I've seen this jealousy in the past, Iandore. It's not pretty once it comes to a head," she warned. "He's hiding behind this wall of superiority, but in all honesty, he's afraid because he knows _you_ hold all the power. It's only a matter of time before this all comes out."

Blinking, Ian didn't think this sounded much like Aeric, but then again, they'd just been burying all their problems once he got the acceptance. And why would Victoriana lie about this? Their problems really had started once he started getting more involved in magic, finding more people like him! "What do you think I should do?" he asked.

"Well, you're in your senior year of high school, right?" She pondered, flipping her long hair over her shoulder. It never looked tangled despite the fact that, even tied up, it reached her waist. "Surely there must be some way to get you more involved with our one-on-one time without it tarnishing your record _too_ much."

Given it _was_ second semester of senior year, grades pretty much posted, college acceptances out, everyone slacking off more than usual... There had to be something he could do! At least in study hall, which was pretty much a joke now that ORCs and applications were done. Really, after attendance, he and Aeric had been fooling around during that period!

"Yeah, I think we can work something out," he assured with a nod.

Besides, he knew how to play this system. He could have his cake and eat it, too.

And maybe then, Aeric would understand just how important this group and magic were to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the plot thickens! Just what does Victoriana have planned in store?
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are insanely appreciated.


	12. 'Cause Things Get Ugly Way Too Quick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Ian starts letting magic take over his life, Aeric's concern gets the other Lightfoots involved... leading to some pretty dire consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it's been a busy week, with Thanksgiving bleeding over into Christmas PLUS the end of Barlover Fortnight! And this was a chapter I was really looking forward to (and dreading) writing! Hopefully it's all worth it!

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 12:** _"'Cause Things Get Ugly Way Too Quick"_

Ian stopped showing up to study hall.

It was just study hall, sure, and their teacher never asked (and Aeric wondered if he even bothered to take attendance), but he _knew_ where Ian was. Or rather, who he was with.

This inability to access that world... Aeric always had that access until she came into his life.

What was her motive? What did she want from Ian that made him so important?

And, even more scarily, how had she gotten so good at manipulation that it had Ian—his sweet, nerdy, perfect attendance boyfriend Ian—to _ditch_ school during senior year?

Aeric just... missed what they had, especially at the beginning of the year. No cares in the world other than getting into Willowdale, and by this point, they really should be here, just enjoying the rest of senior year together with getting out of study hall to make out behind the bleachers, making lavish plans about going to college and what they were going to do once they started living in the city. They should be even _more_ carefree.

Not this. Not this thing where Aeric buried his anger about Ian healing his leg without his consent, where he figured the fact that he could do this magic was more important than what it could have done to Aeric.

It all just turned into this resentment toward Victoriana. Because whenever he texted Ian about where he was during these missing periods, it was the first time his boyfriend ever ignored him. Ian never left anything unanswered. They always fought to see who had the last word, so many texts just being emojis or gifs until one of them fell asleep before replying. And yet... complete silence when it came to something _actually_ important, where it could _actually_ impact his future.

Occasionally he still got "I love you" texts, if only to bury his questions.

This went by for a few weeks, with Ian changing the subject whenever Aeric asked if he'd be around for study hall, like it was a terrible word that was forbidden to even mention. Even easier to do if they were around the gang, and Aeric realized, even after all this time—he never mentioned he'd found a group of magical people to hang and learn with. Why was it such a secret from them, too?

And then, Ian started missing _classes_.

Actual classes, where homework was due, where quizzes were still issued, no matter how easy. One day could be a coincidence. Even two.

Three days was a pattern. And that's when the gang started to ask questions at lunch, and Aeric had absolutely no excuses for Ian.

"I, uh... really don't know," he'd reply, flushing with the realization that he really _was_ helpless here. "I just hope he's okay."

"No one gets sick around this time," Sadalia pointed out, her brow furrowing. "Especially not Ian; he's always griping about perfect attendance."

"That's what gets me, too," Parthenope added, picking at her grass salad. "Like... if it was both of you, I wouldn't be nearly as worried. And it's not like him to keep us out of the loop, especially you, Aeric."

"Yeah..." he admitted, picking through his own salad like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Gods, he knew how pissed Ian would be if he told on him, but something told him Laurel and Barley had no idea he was skipping class.

He loved Ian, he decided. That's why he had to tell on him. Because he cared. Because their future together might depend on this.

After practice that day, season over but everyone still keeping in shape (and a damn shame that Ian missed their _last game_ without an explanation!), Aeric swallowed his pride and drove to the Lightfoots, his heart sinking when he didn't see Ian's familiar sedan parked beside Guinevere. He should talk to Laurel or Barley in person, right? Not convey everything through a call or text? Taking a deep breath, he got out and rang the doorbell.

"Aeric?" Barley looked genuinely surprised as he answered the door. "What are you doing here? I thought Ian was with you—he said he was studying at your place after school?"

Crap, they really didn't know. Aeric pushed his glasses up his nose and took another deep breath. "That's what I was worried about..." he uttered, looking down at his shoes for a moment. "Barley, I haven't seen Ian in three days. Not at school, and before that, he was ditching study hall. But no teachers have asked me why he's out—so I figured either you knew, or... he was finding some way to ditch while keeping his school record clean. Does that make sense?"

Barley stroked his chin, pouting. "I've seen him at home, but other than coming down for food, he's been holed up in his room. And when he leaves in the morning, he always says he's picking you up. You don't think he's in trouble, do you?"

"I think he might be," Aeric admitted. "It's that woman who runs the magical group he's part of—Victoriana Ayers."

"What was her name?" Barley asked, blinking.

Aeric's brow furrowed. "Victoriana Ayers," he repeated. "Why?"

His boyfriend's older brother waved a dismissive hand. "Could be nothing, could be something. I'll let you know if something comes up, though. In the meantime... that's serious. It's not like Ian to ditch _school,_ especially so close to graduation. Much less for you not to be in on it."

"Look, I know he's gonna be pissed, but I'm so worried about him. I think she's putting some crazy ideas in his mind about magic."

"Well, if he wants to make magic his full time priority, we can't really stop him." Barley shrugged, and it was then Aeric noted he wasn't even going to bother inviting him in. "If that's what he wants to choose, we should support him."

"But risking not walking for graduation or going to Willowdale?" Aeric pointed out, wishing Barley would take this a little more seriously. "He worked so hard to get here."

"And he worked hard with magic, too." When Barley crossed his arms, it made him appear bigger, immediately having Aeric step down (despite the fact that he could _definitely_ barrel him down if he needed to). "Are you afraid for him, or for your relationship? He could just be moving on without you, if you're not supporting this."

That stung right in the chest. "Barley, I really think there's something _up_ with this woman. Of _course_ I want Ian to do more with magic and learn. But this isn't going about it the right way, and you know it—if he has to keep sneaking around behind our backs."

Sighing, Barley shook his head. "Sorry, Aeric, I just... I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. I've gotta defend my little brother no matter what.

"I'm coming from a place of nothing but caring for Ian. You know how hard it was for me to come here?" Gods, and how Ian might react once he found out where this all came from...

"Yeah, I get it. I'll tell our mom. I guess thanks for letting me know."

Nodding, Aeric just left it at that. Not much he could do now, other than wait.

The second he got home, he tried to lose himself in a workout, blasting nothing but upbeat pop as if that would distract him from everything, how his entire relationship with Ian might be over just from this. Without Prom, without celebrating at graduation, without being together at Willowdale. And yeah, sure, he could have kept his mouth shut and just pretended like everything was okay, with Ian possibly showing up to Prom, and maybe Graduation, and maybe Willowdale if he decided not to defer, or worse—never attend college at all. It wasn't for everyone, of course, but he could so easily picture Ian there. And he'd been so excited all those months ago, looking at the Laurel tree and the legacy his parents left... How could he not want that for himself? For them, even?

He almost missed the text when it came in, if not for the blinking light signal he installed once he realized just _how_ loudly he worked out sometimes.

" _We need to talk in person. NOW._ " Ian didn't text in capitals. Aeric gulped and tried to prepare for that worst case scenario and hoping it wouldn't turn into a screaming match.

Instead of driving, since Aeric was already in his workout clothes and needed to work off all that nervous energy, he decided to jog there, given they didn't live that far from each other. Sure, it was dark and cooling down, but he needed this. He needed to see if he could get the Ian he loved out of this funk.

* * *

He'd never been this pissed before in his life.

Sure, he'd gotten annoyed at Barley over the crazy, kind of overprotective big brother antics he pulled. And sure, he'd gotten pretty angry over what had happened on his sixteenth birthday, but to be fair, he'd barely gotten any sleep and, well... it was Dad! It all still worked out for the best, didn't it?

But _this_? Not only was he betrayed by his family, but his _boyfriend_ , too? The person he trusted most in these realms? Gods, he hated to think that Victoriana had been right about Aeric this whole time! He didn't know _who_ he could trust now!

It started the moment he got home from a one-on-one session with Victoriana, where he practiced on staffless magic and getting good at harder magic without the aid of his staff. The easiest part of starting to sneak around was just copying his staff and pretending it was safely tucked away in the living room with all their umbrellas to not raise any suspicions with Mom.

The second was pretending to be her to call into the school. Ian always went around the truth once he started getting good at it: "Yes, this is Laurel Lightfoot's voice you're hearing," "No, Ian Lightfoot will not be in today, as you're hearing from me, the voice of his mother." Then there was nothing stopping him from grabbing breakfast at Burger Shire and hanging out in the lookout until he was set to meet Victoriana. Hell, he even saw a couple of movies with matinee prices (while only slightly missing Aeric's company). First it just started with getting out of study hall, but what point was there to go back to school when pretty much everything was set in stone for him?

All he had to do was fill out the Willowdale acceptance in the next couple of weeks. And even then, once they used the Diamond, that's when Ian would make the final decision or not. He might just want to make magic his full time, and who was going to stop him there? He had Victoriana to teach him, with all the realms in front of him for Ian to travel to, and learn with the best teacher.

Of course, that all _would_ have worked, if Aeric didn't blabber on him.

He came home, prepared to lie about what he "learned" during second semester of senior year with _just_ enough of an intriguing story to get them off his tail (this one being that Aeric accidentally forgot his protein powder for his shake at home). But when he entered, his backpack slung over his shoulder, there was Mom and Barley and Colt sitting on the couch, waiting for him. Barley's brows furrowed in worry; Mom's in absolute anger. Colt... stern, for once. Even Blazey had retreated to her bed to stay away from the mess.

Getting out of her seat, Mom held her hand out. "Your staff and keys. _Now_."

Okay... best to play it cool and pretend she didn't know what she was talking about. He handed her his keys before saying cooly, "My staff is where it always is, Mom, right by the umbrellas."

"I _know_ it's a duplicate," she replied stubbornly. "Your staff, Iandore. I'm not going to ask you again."

Mom _never_ used his full name. Swallowing thickly, Ian reached into his pocket and handed her the shrunk staff he carried around until he had the space to let loose with magic. "Wh-what's this about?" he asked with a chuckle, hoping that playing dumb would help.

"Aeric came by today and talked to your brother," Mom explained, and the sound of his name made Ian's heart sink. "Now why would your boyfriend come around to talk to us about you ditching school, hm?"

"H-he's been so crazy busy getting ready for Prom and graduation, you know. He has a whole speech to write, so I think he's just been imagining things—"

"Ian," Barley piped up from his spot on the couch's arm. "I know I've been pretty hard on Aeric before, but for once—I actually believe him more than you right now. I think I know him well enough now that he cares enough to not _lie_ about what you're doing."

Aeric... He knew he couldn't use Aeric as an alibi since he didn't _understand_ magic nearly as well as he should have. But he didn't think his boyfriend would tell on him like this! "That's because Aeric doesn't get it..." he said lowly.

"What _I_ don't get is why you would waste all your hard schoolwork and studying for this," Mom replied, still just as stern. "From now until graduation, you're grounded. _I_ will be driving you to and from school, and you will only study down here with one of us present. And _no more magic until then_. We'll think about letting you go to Prom with Aeric if you behave."

"But Mom!" Ian paled; they were planning on searching for the Diamond this week so they could cast the spell on the Blue Moon at the end of the month! It was so soon! "I'm seventeen! I'm not a kid anymore! You can't _force_ me to not do magic!"

"Well, if you can't handle the responsibilities of an adult who's trusted to drive himself to school and use magic responsibly instead of _impersonating me_ to get out of class, then you'll be treated like a kid. And what's this about you not accepting Willowdale yet? Do you _want_ them to give your spot away to someone else?"

"Well, maybe they should!" Ian shouted, trying to keep himself from crying. Maybe he could still get out of this. "The people at Willowdale didn't like seeing me use magic—so why should I be there if they don't like _me_? Just because you and Dad went there? That's a load of crap!"

" _Hey_ —" Colt stood, crossing his arms as he stepped up to Laurel's side. "Don't talk to your mother like that when she just wants the best for you."

Ian, so clouded in his red, boiling anger, said the one thing that would shut Colt up immediately: "You can't tell me what to do. You're not my dad."

"Ian—" Barley started, but Ian, who had surrendered pretty much everything that would have given him this shot at magical freedom with the group, stormed upstairs and slammed the door to his room. He took a few angry breaths to calm down, and luckily, no one followed him.

And then he saw it: the _one_ person who should have defended him through all this. The one person Ian thought he could trust completely to not say anything. The minute he saw pictures of Aeric in his room, his smug, gorgeous smile and those violet eyes behind his stupid, huge glasses, the anger only boiled again, and Ian was ready to burst.

In a rage, he tore down every picture of them hanging up, from his bulletin board to the walls, to his dresser, even. Really, he should have torn them all in half, but kept them in tact—for now, just littered on the floor. Sure, he and Aeric disagreed on a few things: whether or not protein shakes were weird, if it was normal to do jumping jacks while brushing your teeth, and the merits of each other's singing voices, but nothing had pissed him off quite like _this_. Aeric may have just ruined his chances of ever becoming an insanely powerful wizard, when Victoriana assured him that, once they had the Diamond, he was _that_ much closer to being an _actual_ magical legend.

How could Aeric love him if he did this?

And that's when Ian sent the text. He got a reply a few minutes later, Aeric saying he was on his way, and Ian spent the time pacing in front of his mirror, waiting for that familiar sedan to grace the driveway. The moons rose quickly, only about halfway lit tonight, and the street lamps went on before Ian noticed that Aeric hadn't driven to his place; he'd jogged, his hair in that stupid bun that Ian finally realized, yes, it _was_ dumb, and Aeric should just cut his hair if he didn't like it getting in his face.

Once he saw Aeric jogging up the driveway, Ian sprinted downstairs, ignoring Mom asking what he was doing before he opened the front door and closed it before Aeric could step in. He wasn't welcome in his house anymore.

"Ian—" Aeric started, slightly out of breath.

"I _trusted_ you," he said lowly, crossing his arms. His heart pounded probably more than Aeric's did despite the run, just out of pure anger.

"Ian, I'm _worried_ about you," Aeric said, after taking a swig from his water bottle. "We promised each other we'd talk things through, and for the past few weeks, you weren't around to explain yourself. I didn't have a _choice_ , once it became a pattern."

"Yes you did!" Ian would _not_ cry here. He would _not_ let himself get emotional over his boyfriend—if he could even call Aeric that anymore, after what he told Barley. "You could have just let this all blow over until everything was perfect! Instead you've _ruined_ everything I've worked for with magic!"

" _Ruined_?" Aeric repeated, taken aback. "Ian, you were about to _ruin_ everything you've done at school! And what about Willowdale? What about _us_?"

"What _about_ us?" asked Ian, digging his nails into his arm to keep himself focused on something other than tears. "At this point, we're just growing apart, probably naturally."

"Ian, you can't mean that." Without his glasses, he could see Aeric's purple eyes, the ones he'd come to love so much, well up with tears, too, but trying to hold back. "I _love_ you. That's why I did this."

"No, Aeric. If you _really_ loved me, you would have just let this lie," he shot back.

"I wouldn't be trying this hard if I didn't think we had a future together! We're supposed to stick together through college, and now I hear you don't even want to do that!"

"And who are you, or Barley, or my mom, or anyone else to tell me how to live my life!" Hold it together, Ian. He could do it; he just needed to get Aeric to _go away_. "And maybe I'm doing all of this _because_ I want us to have a better life, with more magic in it! Did you ever think about that, or is magic just an evil thing to you now?"

"It's not you!" Aeric yelled, throwing his hands up. "It's... it's that _woman_! She's gotten into your head and made you all about magic! The Ian I know and love knew how to balance magic with a normal life, and made the most incredible magic. And now you're just scaring me."

"That Ian had no confidence in himself." He could feel the anger overcome the sadness, especially with him shooting vile at Victoriana, who did nothing but help him realize his potential! How dare he talk about her like that! "And now, I'm one of the most powerful wizards in this city—maybe even the realms! And I think _she_ was right: you're just jealous of my power and I couldn't see it until now!"

" _Jealous_?" Aeric scoffed. "Now I _know_ she's gotten into your head! I never cared about not being able to do magic if I can just admire all the wonderful things you do! But now you're just using it to better yourself and show off and not to help other people!"

"No, you're jealous!" He was still on that train; how could that not be the case? "You're just jealous that I found somewhere I belong, with other people like me! And you'll never get it because you can't do magic and _never will_!"

Was it harsh? Yes, especially since he noticed a tear rolling down Aeric's cheek at that. But he didn't regret saying it, especially since that gave every indication that it was true.

"Ian do you... not wanna be with me anymore?" Aeric asked softly, his voice shaky.

"If you're gonna keep acting like this, then probably not," he admitted, digging his nails in deeper. Either move on with me, or we can't work out."

"Ian, if you just talked to me, let me in so we could work this out and you could _see_ how you're being manipulated—"

And now Aeric was pissing him off again! "You've done enough! You should get out of here!"

"No, we need to talk this through," Aeric replied stubbornly. "I don't care how long it takes."

"Okay—then I won't ask!" On instinct, his hands shot out. " _Aloft Elevar_!" Ian had never used magic on Aeric like this with the express purpose of getting him off his yard, but the magic lifted him up and set him back on the block. "Go away! I don't want to be with you unless you're on my side!"

And saying it out loud, like that... He didn't want it to be the end, but if it had to be? It might be looking that way. The end of the greatest year of his life... but if Aeric couldn't accept who he was turning into, he'd just have to move on.

Aeric gave him one last pleading look, but jogged off without a word, and good thing, too. Because Ian could feel himself starting to cry, and if they both did, together, they'd both just be _weak_.

He trudged upstairs, not bothering to answer Mom asking what had just happened out there when he was still so pissed. So he could barely do staffless magic, so what?

He was going to channel all that anger and frustration from being stuck at home, and he _would_ astral project into the next meeting, if it was the last thing he did. Ian couldn't let the group down now, not when they were this close, and he _would_ make it to the ceremony.

This all couldn't be for nothing.

* * *

It was a good thing he ran. Aeric wouldn't have been able to drive home if he didn't have to channel all his energy into keeping his breathing in check, or focus on the rhythm of his footsteps. That way, he could keep his tears in until he got home.

Mom was out of her tank, lounging on the couch so she could stretch her tail. An hour or two out of water was healthy, apparently, and Aeric remembered being so surprised to learn that as a kid. She looked up from her magazine, her eyes wide when she saw him. "Aeric?" she asked gently, immediately concerned. "Baby, what's wrong?"

With that tone of voice... he couldn't hold it in, and he was a kid again, running up to her spot on the couch and curling into her, sobbing into her shoulder. "Mom I..." How was he going to get the words out through all these wrenching sobs, that hurled his chest every time he tried to speak? "I don't—I... I think I lost him...!"

Mom just hugged him tight, trying to shush him with her gentle voice, her hands undoing his bun and running her fingers through his hair to calm him down. She always had so much patience with him, when he interrupted her, when he asked pestering questions, when she tried her best to try and find what he loved so he could channel it into something productive. And now, she was his only rock, the only person he could talk to right now about this. "Shh... you can tell me if you want, when you're ready."

When he finally calmed down, Aeric sat on the floor next to her, and confessed everything, from how suspicious he was of the group, to how he had to tell Barley about Ian skipping classes, and how they might just be over. And Mom just nodded and listened, and shooed Dad away when he came into the room to see what the fuss was about. "Did I do the right thing?" he sniffed, wiping his nose with the hem of his shirt.

"Yes," Mom replied immediately, wiping away one of his stray tears. "Ian being mad at you now is _natural_. He thinks he's doing what's right, but I think he'll come around. You could have just planted a seed that has him questioning all this. Ian's a good kid, after all, and I don't think he'll _actually_ risk not walking with the rest of the class."

Aeric just nodded. "Is it dumb to still think he's 'The One' or whatever? Especially since we're still just in high school?"

"No, sweetie," she assured, shaking her head. He always loved the little dimples at the corners of her mouth. "Not when you were making college plans together. There's nothing wrong with wanting the best for yourself when it comes to love. And you're both good together. I don't think this is the end."

"Then why does it feel like it?" he asked, fidgeting with the remote to keep himself grounded.

"Because it's your biggest fight yet. But in this case, there's a clear right answer. It's just going to take some time for Ian to realize it. And if you can get through this, you can get through anything together."

Well... that did make him feel a _little_ better. Maybe arguing wasn't the best way to go about this. But he didn't regret telling Barley what was up. For now, they just needed a little time, and maybe then Ian would want to talk. Nodding, he kissed Mom's cheek. "Thanks, Mom. I... really needed that." And he thanked the gods every day for being lucky enough to have her in his life.

"That's what I'm here for," she said with a shrug. "Now go upstairs and shower. You stink, kid."

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Aeric chuckled. "Will do," he replied. "Love you."

"Love you, too, kid."

In the shower, Aeric could at least think, surrounded by all the steam, and the constant hot stream of water. What Ian needed was some _proof_ , that Victoriana was up to no good. If he could figure that out, he just _knew_ he'd have him back, and he'd listen.

But... where would he even start? And how much time did he have before Ian was lost to him for good?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would I ever break up my boys? That's for me to know and you to find out.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated, if it's your first or hundredth!


	13. I'm Ready for My Closeup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barley starts to worry more about Ian, and decides to do his own research into what he thinks is going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little late but things have been pretty hectic this week, getting ready for the holidays, announcing the Barlover Fortnight winners, and doing a charity livestream benefitting Cast Members! But I got it done-and from a new perspective: Barley's!
> 
> This chapter was pretty fun to write, and even more fun to write a bit for Athena, zandiiangelspit's OC S/O for Barley! Hopefully I did her a bit of justice!

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 13:** _"I'm Ready for My Closeup"_

This wasn't normal for Ian.

Barley heard the entire shouting match between him and Aeric—in fact, the whole neighborhood might have heard that argument and the very loud breakup (?). At least, Barley figured it was a breakup, or at least a _break_ of some sort, given that Aeric stopped coming around and Ian stayed completely silent about it, refusing to speak if he or Mom brought him up. Barley tried to ask Athena if she and Aeric took a run together recently, and she said once, but he stayed relatively quiet the entire time., never mentioning Ian.

Not that Barley _wanted_ to be a snoop on Ian's social media, but when he refused to talk, well... did he have another choice to try and find what the root of the problem was? What did he even know about all this?

Barley knew that Ian had found a group of other magical young people, led by one woman who brought them all together. He'd never seen her, but Ian had described her as tall and effortlessly stylish, with this command of magic he'd never witnessed. But how special could she _really_ be, when he'd seen his brother in action?

Ian also mentioned that she saw something special in him, asking for more one-on-one time, and special treatment, and after what Aeric had told him, something raised a red flag; Barley's big brother instincts kicked in once he started to think it all through. Aeric might be right: she _wanted_ something from him, and from the look of things, it wasn't good.

One thing he hated about posts to stories was that Ian could easily look up that his big brother had been snooping around, watching his day-to-day almost meticulously. But did Ian look at the metrics? Did he even _care_? It was the only way he could see what was going on in Ian's life, given the last time he _actually_ posted was on his and Aeric's anniversary, and it was then Barley got it— _really_ got it—just how _much_ Aeric cared about Ian, and to him, this wasn't just some high school romance, especially with the very real fact that they'd probably be at Willowdale together... if Ian accepted by the deadline, that was. And that was coming up fast.

The first post that had Barley on edge was a single text post: " _Vesshydar's Diamond isn't a myth—I can't believe it took me this long to realize that_."

 _Vesshydar's Diamond_? The most elusive magical assist item in the realms? The very thing that mages and wizards and historians had _warned_ against trying to find, that brought about so much power that it only took _one_ selfish wizard to make it nothing short of a hellbringer?

And then, it clicked completely when Ian finally posted again. Sure, he stayed downstairs to catch up with all his work, but Barley still wondered if his little brother had found another way to trick the system. Could he do staffless magic? Is that why he didn't seem as fazed when Mom demanded he hand the staff to her? He always kept the music on in his room; it was impossible to tell if he tried to cast a spell without him _explicitly_ spying on his brother.

But is that what it had to come to?

The post seemed innocent enough, just a photo of their group with the caption, " _Can't wait to change the realm with these amazing people!_ ", but as Barley scanned the all-too-innocent faces of these promising young wizards holding up their staffs, one face stood out above the rest.

The leader. That tall, almost intimidating elf that stood above them all, despite her not being the tallest in their group. Barley _knew_ he'd seen her before somewhere... but where? And why did the name "Victoriana Ayers" sound so... _familiar_ when Aeric told him?

Barley looked at Ian's story after that, another text post that just said, " _One day—can't wait!_ " But tomorrow wasn't Prom. It was a Saturday, sure, but nothing about it seemed out of the ordinary other than it being the end of the month. What could it be...?

Looking up, Barley's eyes locked onto the calendar. Tomorrow was... Blue Moons! And apparently it could help amplify magic. Not that he'd seen it himself, but Ian seemed to believe it—and that was good enough for him.

What time was it? Shoot, way past when the library would be open. In fact, probably time for him to go to bed. He'd have to do some research, just online for the time. Pulling out his phone, he texted Athena.

" _Gotta do some research at the library tomorrow. Could use your help!_ "

Beloved Athena, goddess she was, answered almost immediately. " _Sure—I can meet you there by one_?"

" _Sounds perfect, my love! See you then!_ "

And first things first... Barley found his Quests of Yore deck (the only thing in his room he kept in meticulous order), shuffling through with that picture of Ian's group visible on his phone. He knew he'd seen that face; it had to be in here somewhere...

"Aha!" he shouted triumphantly, holding it up. _The Duplicitous Mage_ , said to be one of the deadliest foes in the game. Sure, the hair was very different, and the beauty mark was in another place, but it had to be a start, right? Even if this might be a stretch and a half to make it all connect?

He started with a simple search on his laptop plus the "Vesshydar's Diamond" term to see if there was any connection between the two. Nothing known to the public, other than combos someone could use in the game to help win. Damn. He might need to go into actual archives to see if he could connect any _actual_ history here for a connection. But so little was known about the Diamond, about what it could do, and if it even _actually_ ever existed.

And only a little more was known about the Mage, just a legend he found online that he knew really well, that the Mage was cunning. She was smart. She knew how to manipulate just with words, though her magic was some of the most powerful in the realms.

But as far as Barley knew, just a tale. Besides, it wasn't like immortality was even _possible_ , even with magic...

Was it?

* * *

Barley had spent so long trying to research that he ended up passing out at his laptop, with the same window open, a bunch of long winded, old website style paragraphs going on and on about the history of magic. His search bar, he noted, had commented a ton of commas throughout the night. He wiped the drool off the corner of his mouth, then checked the time. Crap—it was past noon! He was supposed to meet Athena at the library in less than an hour!

Without time to shower, but time to at least put a comb through his hair, change his shirt, and brush his teeth, Barley spritzed on some cologne (he had to smell his best for his beloved), grabbed his phone, keys, wallet, and Duplicitous Mage card, and tried to sprint toward the front door without being spotted.

"Hold on, there, Mister!" Mom halted from the kitchen, never missing a beat. Damn. He didn't want to be late for this! Athena was _never_ late for anything!

"Y-yeah, Mom?" he asked, shooting her a shy smile. Right now, Mom actually gave him a little more slack since, at the moment, he for once was the more "well behaved" brother.

"I know you're probably going out to work—"

"Studying, actually," he half-lied, since... yeah, they'd be researching pretty heavily into this _one_ topic. "Actually, I'm running a little late..."

"Oh." She blinked, then plopped some protein powder into the blender. "Good for you. Anyway, tonight's the annual NMPD gala, so Colt and I will be leaving around six. Got my dress all ready and everything. Your brother's still up in his room, sulking, but you'll keep an eye out to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble, won't you? He's still grounded, but I'm considering letting him go to Prom with Aeric if he keeps up the good behavior. Don't let him know that, though."

"You got it." Nodding, Barley fidgeted with Guinevere's keys. "I'll try to be back before then, but you know how studying goes when you get into it..." At least, he did here, when he really _cared_ about the subject (and the fact that his own brother's wellbeing might be in jeopardy).

Sighing, Mom walked up to him and kissed his cheek. "I'm so proud of you," she declared. "You're in school, you have a great job, and the most adorable girlfriend. Gosh, just last year the only thing you worried about was prepping for your next all-nighter campaign."

"That still occasionally happens," Barley pointed out with a shrug, hugging Mom close. "But I gotta go before I'm late!"

"Okay, okay." Mom waved her hands to send hm off. "Just please try to be home before we leave? I might have to call in Aeric, and after the screaming match... I really don't want to."

"You got it." Nodding, Barley headed out, and he may have sped through the streets just a _tad_ to make it to the library on time. Of course, there was Athena, waiting patiently at the door with her book bag slung on her back, her red tresses pulled back into its usual braid. She smiled the moment she noticed Guinevere pulling into a parking space, and greeted him with a kiss to his cheek.

Yes, he got just why Colt chuckled the moment Barley admitted his new girlfriend was a centaur even taller than him, after all the crap he'd given his stepdad, but the way he met Athena, the way she cared about fixing Guinevere so she could run so well... he was smitten from the first moment they met.

"So, is this for your History of the Realms paper?" she asked, taking his hand as they walked in.

"Not exactly," Barley admitted lowly. "But you know... it could be, maybe."

"Then what is it?" she asked, and when her voice was this gentle, this understanding, he had to come out with the truth.

"I think Ian's getting caught up in something bad. Something with magic, and I hope I can figure out what it is before something worse happens," he explained, getting to one of the computers. "Not sure if what we need to find is in the books or old newspaper archives."

"Um... Barley, not that I don't appreciate you asking for my assistance, but shouldn't you bring this up with Aeric?" Athena asked, taking out a notebook and pen anyway.

"I don't know what he and Ian are right now," Barley admitted. "They had a huge fight about this, and... Ian's just not the same. Usually he's able to balance school and magic, and now he's thinking about not even going to Willowdale—I'm worried. He's lashing out and Aeric thinks it has to do with the woman who's running all of this."

"Well..." Athena squeezed his shoulder assuringly. "What do you need me to do?"

Grinning, Barley leaned over and kissed her hand. "I'll look up whatever books we might need. Even if you get them and skim, that would mean the realms to me."

She smiled, pulling back one of the chairs so she could sit, and cracked her knuckles. "Okay, then. Let's get comfortable, shall we?"

But what they tried in researching the Mage and the Diamond either came back with legends or fictional stories, or guides to better understand Quests of Yore for beginners. _Was_ she really just a legend, and _was_ this all just coincidence? All her sections were a few sentences, as were any explanations about the magic of the Diamond.

All the signs were there! He could try to figure this out! He _could_ figure this out, because this was his little brother! Ian did so much for him, especially after last year—they had to keep looking out for each other.

Sighing, he rubbed his temples as Athena approached him with a few more books. "Hey—take a second," she coaxed, sitting back down. "Sometimes even a five minute break can bring some clarity."

Nodding, Barley sat back in his chair and looked up at the high ceiling of the New Mushroomton Public Library. He adored this place—legend had it, it was an old castle for royals of years past, with its stone walls and what looked to be where torches had been held. The cooling, quiet atmosphere got him to actually clear up his mind, and of course Athena was right about it helping.

She was always right.

"You know, this is gonna be crazy, but..." he mumbled, rubbing his eyes for a second before looking up the name "Victoriana Ayers" with the Diamond, just as a shot in the dark.

The library archives asked, "Did you mean ' _Victoire Ascott'_?"

Barley perked up, wondering if he actually hit something. Of course this woman wouldn't _actually_ show up with her name, but under this woman, Barley noticed that, back when movies were in black and white, she'd been filming a movie _about_ Vesshydar's Diamond!

Clicking on the first article, he read, " _Movie Shoot Ends in Disaster: Ten Killed in Studio Fire_." The whole article mentioned the movie's proposed synopsis, and how during the shoot, a take had gone horribly wrong, killing six young workers behind the camera, and four actors, including the movie's superstar, Victoire Ascott. The article showed off one of her headshots, claiming she'd been taken at the young age of 29.

But that beauty mark... Even with the cropped hair that was popular at the time, Barley could see the resemblance, and pulled up the picture on his phone before showing them to Athena. "Is it just a coincidence that these two look alike, and have something to do with the Diamond?" he asked. "Or is it too much of a stretch?"

Athena squinted, looking rapidly between the two pictures. "It seems a little too much to just be a coincidence," she pointed out. "Maybe you should read on."

Nodding, Barley zoomed into the small print to read it better on the screen. Something about how they were filming a pivotal scene where the Diamond was used, and the fire that had been started spread instead of staying contained once a chant in the script began. When survivors were interviewed, they couldn't seem to recall _how_ the fire had gotten so big and had consumed so many, other than a sudden burst, maybe from a gas leak no one knew about, which seemed to be the prevailing theory. Everyone who had perished had been so young, just barely over Barley's age.

"' _The Diamond prop lit up, and then—this hot flash_ ,'" he read lowly from one interview. "' _Victoire was closest_.'" And then it went on to state that though nine remains had been recovered, one had not—one of the biggest mysteries of the past century.

Barley looked up the date on another tab. It had also happened on Blue Moons.

"That's it!" he shouted, before promptly being shushed by everyone around him.

"Whoops—but if one of the bodies wasn't found, could it be possible that..." Barley gestured at the pictures.

"But that's impossible," Athena pointed out. "Magic can't grant immortality, from everything you've taught me."

"It just _might_ with the Diamond," Barley deducted. "They're all wizards in Ian's group, right? And they all look around our age. The Diamond can supposedly grant _any_ wish, including the impossible."

"But it was a set prop—no one's actually _seen_ what the Diamond looks like."

"What if it wasn't?" It was better than nothing! "We have to take everything into account: small group disappears, all young people, uncanny resemblance to the leader, the Blue Moons—sure, this happened over eighty years ago, but... what if she's _feeding_ off their energies and taking them to make herself young? It says right here that Victoire Ascott was a script supervisor, so what if the chant was a _spell_?"

He got shushed again, this time by the librarian, who gave him an additional glare.

Sighing, Athena tilted her head. "I suppose it's a little more than just coincidence... but I can't help you past this—I have to get home soon," she pointed out.

"You've done more than enough," Barley sighed, too, before looking at his phone. "And—crap! I gotta get home before Mom leaves Ian all alone!"

Well, that was the last straw anyway, before the librarian asked him to leave. Barley knew this was all just a hunch, just a feeling... but Ian could be in danger, if people had _died_ as a result of using the Diamond, especially under the Mage's control. What if the Diamond had never disappeared, but she kept it on her person so she could use it when needed? What if she was absorbing _magic_ to become more powerful, too, which was why she was teaching these kids to earn their trust?

But by the time he got home, not only had Mom and Colt left, but Ian also seemed to have disappeared, though his car was still in the driveway. How could he have been too late! He had to go after him, but... how? He didn't have Athena, couldn't tell Mom on such a special night, when she deserved it after dealing with all of this.

On a whim, Barley took off a few blocks away, screeching to a halt when he got to Aeric's place.

He would be the only person who would care enough, and who _would_ want to help.

When Aeric answered, he genuinely looked surprised. His eyes were _still_ red-rimmed, like he'd been crying over this for as long as the fight had happened. "Barley?"

"Hey—Ian's not with you, is he?" Barley asked hopefully, taking off his beanie so he could run a hand through his hair. "He ran away and our mom's out..."

"No..." Aeric replied slowly, closing the door so they had more privacy on the porch. "We haven't talked since..." His voice wavered. "What happened?"

"You were right," Barley said, and looking down, his hands were shaking. "You were right about Victoriana using Ian. I think she's gonna use the Diamond to take his powers—and keep herself young forever."

" _What_?" Aeric's sadness immediately turned to concern, his purple eyes widening. "When did you learn all this?"

"It's just a hunch, but I found too many coincidences between this and another event from way back when. Anything to help Ian." Taking out his phone, he opened up the "Find Phone" app. "Mom put a tracker on his phone, and I don't think he knows, so hopefully..." After a moment, it lit up green. "Found him! He's at... Scale Cove?"

"Scale Cove?" Aeric repeated, catching his breath. "My mom has a lot of stories about that place—if you're not a mermaid, good luck surviving the rocks if you're in the water, or if, gods forbid, the ground starts to shake. Why would he be there?"

"They're meeting there, probably!" Barley surmised, then hoped his expression was pleading enough. "Please, Aeric. I know I've given you a hard time in the past, but that's only because I'm so protective over Ian. I _know_ you really care about him, even if you're fighting, or on a break, or whatever you are. Will you help me try to get through to him if something terrible goes wrong?"

Aeric said nothing for a moment, looking down at his sneakers. But he then took a deep breath, and started to tie the long strands of his teal tresses back into a bun.

"Um..." That still wasn't an answer, and Barley furrowed his brow in confusion. "Question: what are you doing?"

"What any crazy, dumb high schooler in love would do." Suddenly his expression became determined—like there was nothing in the realms that could keep him from Ian. Aeric ripped off his glasses, before looking back at him. "I'm gonna save my boyfriend from an evil, magical cult—you in?"

Barley grinned, pumping his fist in the air. " _Hell_ yes! Let's get Guinevere fired up!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely had to end on the action movie one liner! We're about to go in the endgame, though-be prepared!
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are incredibly appreciated.


	14. I Play No Games About My Legacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian sneaks out of the house for the final meeting of the group--but is he too late to change?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the holidays so close, it's a wonder I even got this done! But I'm committed to finishing out the year strong-can you believe I've posted a chapter of something every week this year? And now I know I can do it!
> 
> But enough of my rambling. I'm sure you wanna get to the good stuff, anyway. And we're just about to start the climax.

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 14:** _"I Play No Games About My Legacy"_

Here they were! Tonight was the night, and tonight _everything_ would change! The whole group had been atwitter in the group chat, talking preconceptions and what they would do once they were inundated with enough power to change people's minds. Lili in particular wanted to actually go out and let herself be known somewhere outside their circle, and Carls couldn't wait to see how she could use magic to help even more with her patients.

Ian just wanted to change Aeric's mind, change his family's mind that maybe college wasn't for him, and this was the right path. It laid so clearly in front of him, traveling the realms with this amazing group, teaching magic to whoever had the Gift. And if Aeric accepted him and wanted to come with him, even better! He knew just how much his boyfriend (?) could get out of broadening his horizons—he really needed to stop being so pessimistic.

Of course, he hated having to subject himself to school again, avoiding Aeric where he could and eating on his own again, like he had the first half of his high school life. But he willed himself to create a spell that created a radius around Aeric that only he could see—which made it a lot easier to avoid his boyfriend (?) now that they had their worst fight still unresolved. Now, if Aeric just _apologized_ for being so harsh once he realized how crazy he was acting, and just _accepted_ that Ian was becoming one of the most powerful wizards in the realms... They could really change things together, and Ian didn't know how he could move on from this!

Mom, and even Barley weren't much better, with Mom looking at him with nothing but disappointment, an expression he'd seen only reserved for Barley but never for him. And even Barley looked at his little brother like he didn't know him anymore.

All he had was this group, who applauded him when he was able to astral project to meetings without his staff, who had been helping everyone harness their powers and confidence in himself—confidence that started with finding magic and dating Aeric, but had escalated all by himself into being, well... a teacher! And he was good at it! Even if everyone was older than him in the group, they so often asked him questions, and Victoriana's looks of approval definitely assured him that _this_ was what he was meant to do.

"You're not even physically _here_ , and yet you're teaching them so much," she admitted when they had a moment alone.

And that night, she announced that next week, when they were meant to manifest... everything during the Blue Moons, she wanted _him_ to help her lead the chant!

"I'll be there," he promised. At this point, he didn't care who he had to mow down or show his powers off to—he would make it to the most important meeting of the group. He couldn't let them down at their most important hour!

And then, it happened: during their meeting the night before, all the way out on Shale Cove (and once again Ian had to project himself to the location), Victoriana led the chant that manifested the Diamond to show itself in its walls. Even through projection, it was the most _dazzling_ thing Ian had seen, with its many points and almost glittering surface, almost _too_ powerful to even look at. It looked like it would barely fit in the crook of any staff, let alone his splinter staff.

"We did it!" everyone cheered, hugging each other. Morgana even teared up, and Rose reached out to hug Ian before remembering he had to project to make this meeting.

"We're about to make history," Cord declared, pumping a fist.

And man, was Ian lucky to see that Mom and Colt would be going out for a gala that night, and he watched as Barley left the house with his backpack, probably to study at the library. He'd been good about staying home; no one seemed to suspect he could even _do_ magic without his staff, especially when he cooped himself up in his room if he wasn't at school or studying downstairs.

He told Mom he'd accepted Willowdale, but that was just to sate her for now. Make her think he was going, and once she noticed how great a wizard he was becoming, she'd understand. She'd let him travel and quest if it was really his heart's desire!

Ian figured Barley wouldn't come back on time by the time Mom and Colt _had_ to leave for the NMPD gala, probably too caught up by his girlfriend, or by Quests of Yore, or whatever he was doing today.

Mom came upstairs, all dressed up in a sparkly silver dress, a cream shawl around her shoulders. It made Ian sigh about Prom, how he was going to modify Dad's old suit with magic to make something new and gorgeous to sweep Aeric off his feet. Who even knew if that would happen anymore.

"Hey..." She knocked lightly on the door. Ian pretended to be engrossed in reading when really, he'd been taking notes about the chant, silently murmuring it under his breath so he wouldn't get anything wrong. "We're going now. Barley should be on his way back since the library is closing soon." Sighing, she sat next to him on the bed for a moment. "I don't want to keep being the bad guy in your eyes. But you've been on your best behavior. I was going to say this for later, but... if you keep this up, and I see you still here tonight even if we're leaving you alone for a bit, I'll let you go to Prom with Aeric. You're both trying to be Prom Kings, right?"

"I guess..." Ian murmured, shrugging. But deep down, he still _did_ want to go and show off. "But thanks."

"I'm proud of you." She kissed his cheek, and Ian didn't have the stamina to even wipe the lipstick smudge off. "You'll be graduating soon, then off to college... life's really looking up." But then she stood, brushing her hands on his shoulder briefly. "We'll be home late. No need to stay up. I even left some money for pizza for both of you so you can order, okay?"

Ian just nodded, wanting her to _leave_ already, because Barley would be even harder to evade. "Yeah. Have fun."

"Love you, sweetie." She left on that, closing his door before heading out. Like Barley, Ian watched them take off, and the moment he saw they were off the street, he rushed downstairs to grab his staff, then texted Morgana.

" _Pick me up at Burger Shire_?" he asked, previously warning her that he'd need a ride. Shale Cove wasn't exactly the closest location, especially on a Saturday night where some traffic would be expected. This all had to be performed before midnight, when the moons would shine brightest.

" _Be there in ten_ ," she texted back, and Ian was off, hoping he wouldn't see Guinevere at any point on his way out. He left Blazey some extra food, just to cover that base and keep her busy so she wouldn't cause a scene if he tried to leave her all alone.

No need for any fancy clothes; even if the weather was getting warmer, he just donned his jeans and flannel, not wanting to deal with heels in sand or if a nice skirt would ride up—in this case, comfort was key. Ian fiddled with his staff as he reached Burger Shire, checking the time. 6:26. Where was she? What if Barley got home and noticed he wasn't there and knew exactly where to find him and he would be in even more trouble with Mom and then forget _Prom_ , even—

He sighed in relief as he noticed Morgana's small car heading into the parking lot—a green electric car that matched her personality to a T, covered in bumper stickers blaring her thoughts even louder like, "My dragon is smarter than your honor student." Quickly Ian piled in, strapping in. "Alright, let's go!"

"How about, 'Hi, Morgana, thanks for the ride'?" Morgana chuckled, piling her curls into a ponytail before taking off.

"Or 'hi, Rose'?" Rose piped up from the backseat, and Ian finally saw her—she was so tiny back there!

Flushing, he replied, "Sorry—it's just, I haven't been out in a while. But hi, guys. And really, thanks for the ride. Mom still has my keys."

"That's what you get for ditching school instead of waiting to practice magic," Morgana chastised playfully, smirking. "I can't believe you're actually _here_ —we haven't seen you in weeks!"

"And since you are..." Rose used her staff to pick up a cookie from the bag beside her to pass to Ian. "I made some celebratory cookies! And now you can finally eat them!"

"Oh wow, thanks!" Ian swore, her baking was pure magic—and who knew, maybe she started using _actual_ magic in her creations. He hummed into his first bite. "I missed this... I missed hanging out with you guys."

"We missed you, too!" Morgana replied, squeezing his shoulder. "And you're the lucky bastard who gets to lead the chant tonight with Victoriana. Like damn, I can't even cast anything higher than basic magic without my staff, and here you are, astral projecting without yours! You really deserve it."

"We're so proud of you!" Rose piped up, and Ian figured she was nodding along. "What's the first thing you wanna do when you get home? I think I'm gonna make a _whole feast_ and enchant every piece with the charm spell to make everyone who eats anything happy! You think I could make a whole cupcake shop like that?"

"I'd buy them!" Ian chimed in. "I'll give one to Aeric, and maybe then he'll finally _get_ it."

"You're still hung up on that?" Rose rolled her eyes. "You need to find someone who's more into magic."

"He likes magic, but..."

"But nothing! You deserve someone who appreciates your talents!"

"I think you both need to talk," Morgana interjected. "Like, _really_ talk, without yelling. You need to understand what fears he might have, since all this progression is so new, and you need to explain yourself a little more. And while Victoriana is amazing, I don't really get her whole need to keep us separated from people who don't have the Gift. We can't coexist without each other, you know?"

"You have a point," Ian sighed as she turned onto the freeway. "I just want him to come with me through all this. I can't give him up after everything we've been through."

"Eh, it's just high school!" Rose chuckled. "No one cares what happens to those flings!"

"It does matter when they're both going to the same school," Morgana interjected. "That's why it's a little more serious than just some fling."

Ian looked down at his staff. He wasn't planning on accepting, and the deadline was in two days. Eventually everyone would understand. Maybe he could just defer and come back to it after traveling, when he had a broader mind about the realms. "I do still love him a lot," he admitted. "I want him to be part of this with me."

"Well, that's what tonight's for." With that, Morgana turned up the music on the stereo. "But come on, what's with the long faces? We should be celebrating! Our lives are about to change for the better!"

Even if they were stuck in a little bit of traffic, the three of them sang (terribly) to whatever was playing, getting their one last night of hurrah where they had nothing to worry about. It made the time pass, made the traffic not so awful, not when he had these great friends who actually _understood_ everything he wanted to lament about magic, who accepted him while realizing that even though he was the youngest of their group, he really was rather mature (and he'd be eighteen just in September!), and he could even teach them a thing or two—Victoriana seemed sure of it, anyway.

They weren't the first to arrive at Shale Cove; Cord, Parker, and Ferry practiced controlling waves with their staffs, and it looked like they were just waiting for Carls, who assured the group she'd be by just after her shift was over. Victoriana stoked a fire closer to the caves than the shore, and at this point, it was big enough to be a warm bonfire.

Ian thought back to when Aeric brought him to his first beach party, just over a year ago. Gosh, he'd only used magic to show off, and Aeric had been so understanding about wanting to walk off when things were starting to get too overwhelming...

He hated to think it, but that's what he was missing most. Victoriana would tell him that his attachment to Aeric was a weakness, but this was the _one_ thing he disagreed with her on—Aeric made him a better, more confident person. He wouldn't have made it to his first meeting with everyone if Aeric hadn't convinced him to in the first place, and he was the one who encouraged Ian to share his gift more and assured him that most people would like it. Sure, he wasn't always right, and lately he was more stubborn than usual, but he knew that they still loved each other, and wanted the best for each other. Maybe after tonight, she'd realize that, too.

Down at the shore, the gathering seemed more like a little party, with Parker playing music on their speaker, and Lili actually dancing, for once. Ferry even brought ingredients for s'mores, and once Cord finished with the waves, he started to gather sticks with magic, perfect for spearing. If anything, _Victoriana_ was the one out of the loop, setting up for their magical gathering with what looked like a wine potion in a goblet and an old spell book in her arm.

Once Ian made his rounds and greeted everyone, he approached her with a pleasant smile. "I'm here like I promised," he said.

"Oh, Iandore, thank the gods," she sighed. "Once Carlson gets here, let's gather everyone up for the ceremony."

"Well, look at everyone," Ian said, looking out at the group. "We're having a lot of fun just being here. Don't you want to relax with us, cook up a s'mores or skip some rocks?"

"There's no time for such frivolousness," she dismissed, waving a hand. "You may do as you please, but this spell must go _perfectly_."

"Oh." Ian blinked, stepping back. "Do you... need me to do anything for you in the meantime?"

"No, not yet. Once Carlson gets here, we can begin. But I would advise against burning those... marshmallows in such ancient flames."

Ancient flames? Ian just nodded and joined the rest of the group, who were more than happy to use magic to roast their own marshmallows perfectly. He ended up consuming three by the time Carls showed up after her shift, around ten.

"Finally," he heard Victoriana mutter, before she stood tall. "Alright everyone, pleasantries are over—we're ready to begin."

Usually she wasn't this keen on organizing them, almost in a harried fashion. And was that another wrinkle Ian spotted on her otherwise flawless face, or just a trick of the flames? Why did she seem kind of... _off_ tonight?

"Sorry—my shift ran a little later than usual." Carls had shown up in her scrubs, a cardigan wrapped tight around her shoulders. "I'm not too late, am I?"

"No, no—but quickly everyone, we should begin. Let's cease the music, shall we?" But Victoriana cut the music with a wave of her staff, and Parker gathered it to put it in their bag. "And let's gather around the fire for our final meeting. Iandore, I'd like you next to me to help lead."

Final? Did that mean they could go out into the world? Could she really have taught them everything they could possibly know about magic? Excitedly, everyone got into place around the bonfire, staffs perched in hand, their smiles huge and completely evident from miles away.

"This is the Eternal Flame, made by the first wizard to create the fire spell. It has seen all, has been kept alive by its keepers for millennia," Victoriana explained. "Whatever is cast into the fire can never be recovered, but it is needed tonight to witness our magic, to grow in its entity and continue its tradition of bearing witness to the most powerful wizards in the realms."

Like the Diamond, Ian didn't realize the Eternal Flame was even a real _thing_ until seeing it right in front of his eyes, but here they were, under the light of the bright, full moons, about to perform some of the most important magic of his life. Victoriana handed him the spell book, then passed her potion gauntlet around. "We drink of our former brothers and sisters who are no longer with us. With that, we lead the chant. Iandore, you and I will drink after the spell is complete."

Ian nodded, and as she passed the goblet around starting with Rose, she placed the Diamond in her staff and started to chant. He'd been practicing the words under his breath, but with the spell book in hand, he could read clearly, so he didn't mess anything up. He followed suit, watching everyone repeat after them, taking sips with smiles as the goblet passed to Parker, and Lili, and Ferry, and Cord, and Carls, and Morgana, and Ian took it, balancing it with the book, and his staff in the other. From the core of each staff, blue magic started to form, bright and powerful, and each staff took on a portion of the flames, the magic and fire working together to grow. Victoriana started to chant louder, her grin only growing, and the others chanted with the same level of enthusiasm, especially when the Diamond started to sparkle, reflecting a beam against the heart of everyone who had sipped from the goblet. It was working! Soon they'd all share in its wisdom, and spread and teach the message that magic shouldn't be feared, but embraced in this new world!

" _Keep chanting—yes! Ascension is upon us_!" Victoriana encouraged, her eyes fixated completely on the Diamond as it shone even brighter than the suns, almost blinding. The beams on everyone's chest grew a little bigger as everyone chanted louder.

Ian's eyes darted briefly back to the book just to look at the words one last time, but it was then he finally noticed the title atop the the spell: _"Carmine Immolationis_."

" _The Sacrificial Ritual Spell_."

Holy Shantar's Talon, what had he gotten into? What was going to happen to everyone who drank from the goblet? To him? Was he too late?

Eyes wide, Ian stopped chanting, and opened his mouth to speak something in warning, but Rose started to convulse, a blue beam shooting from her chest into the Diamond. A moment later, the flame from her staff set it—and _her_ —up in flames.

Everyone glanced in horror for a moment, but then the same happened to Parker. And Lili, and everyone in the circle, Morgana's wide eyes pleading at Ian for a split second before the blue beam from her chest shot toward the Diamond, and she, too, went up in flames.

 _"Whatever is cast into the fire can never be recovered_." Victoriana's words haunted him, and even more eerily, there were no screams of terror from his new friends—just the image of their staffs set ablaze, all of them becoming part of the Eternal Flame.

" _What did you do?!_ " Ian cried, horrified as he dropped the spell book and goblet, spilling its poisoned contents into the sand. His hand gripped his staff tightly; here he was, a novice wizard, against someone he thought he could trust! "They're all gone!"

"Iandore, they've ascended," Victoriana explained calmly, looking up at the Diamond perched in the crook of her staff. "Their souls have been placed in the Diamond for safekeeping, along with all of their extraordinary abilities—they won't be put to waste. You've accumulated more power in these past few months than I've seen in any other wizard, in all the millennia I've witnessed. Imagine what we could do with all that power together! We can finish the ritual." She held out her free hand, her grin no longer bright and protective, but sinister and menacing. "Join me, and their sacrifice will not be in vain."

"Is that what you do?" he asked, his hands shaking. "You butter up a bunch of up and coming wizards with powers and _sacrifice_ them with the Diamond? _Why_? And why _me_? I don't want this!" Ian just wanted to show how magic could be used for good—and here she was, using the Diamond for the most selfish reason he could think of!

"Well, how else does one become immortal?" Victoriana—if that was even her name—replied calmly. "I had to make up the legend the Diamond is lost once it's used—I've been keeping it on me all these years. Face it, Iandore: stories and films and _legends_ have been made about me... and they can remember you, too. All this unlimited power, right at your fingertips."

"No, not like this," Ian answered immediately. "If this is what your teachings do to people, then I want nothing to do with it!" He couldn't believe, all this time... "I should have listened to Aeric—he was right not to trust you, and I was too blind to see it until now!" And even now might be too late!

Rolling her eyes, she chastised, "Are you _still_ on about your Giftless paramour? When will you see he'll never amount to anything? He'll peak in high school, and then what's left? Just an empty husk, a _mortal_."

"I'd rather have a mortal boyfriend than this!" And Aeric was way more than everything she tried to make him out to be—he actually cared about him! He _wanted_ to see Ian succeed the right way. "I'd rather _be_ mortal than join you now, if this is what it costs."

"Fine." Her grey eyes slit. "That's more for me, then. But you've seen far too much, Iandore—and once I have your soul, I truly _will_ be the most powerful wizard of all eternity."

Oh gods... how was he going to fight her off? Good as he was getting, he didn't stand a chance against her!

" _Hey, wizard bitch_!" Ian looked up toward the voice at the ledge, only to see Aeric and Barley. How had they found him? " _Get the hell away from my boyfriend_!"

And then he remembered: tracking on his phone. Ian thought he wouldn't care if they found him and now, he couldn't be more relieved, and he couldn't help but smile at the sight of his brother and his boyfriend.

Instead of sneering, Victoriana smiled. "Well, isn't this going to be fun."

Quickly Ian's eyes darted toward the Diamond. He didn't _really_ have a plan, but with Aeric and Barley here, they could come up with one, fast. But he had to make his move _now_ if they wanted to stand a chance.

" _Aloft Elevar_!" Ian snatched the Diamond from the perch of Victoriana's staff, starting to run back once she noticed. Then he called up, " _Aeric, go long_!"

They'd practiced this move in the park over the summer, the best way for Ian to help his boyfriend catch the ball wherever it ended up, and his aim had gotten _much_ better. He threw the Diamond up to Aeric before Victoriana could lunge at him, keeping her from gaining even _more_ power.

Once Aeric caught it, Ian cautioned, " _We have to keep the Diamond away from her at all costs_!"

He and Barley nodded, then started down the cliff side toward the shore to help out where they could.

Victoriana sneered at him, her staff ready to hurl some spells at all three of them. "You've made a _very_ grave mistake, Iandore."

Ian gulped, readying his staff as well.

The battle was just beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't see the need to put a warning since this was all minor characters, but if you'd like a content warning, please let me know.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are insanely appreciated.


	15. Remember Me Just Like This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battle begins, and Ian has to use everything in him to defeat the darkness he faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let it be known I try when it comes to action scenes. I never said I was good.
> 
> Also Merry early Christmas! I promise it gets better after this!

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 15:** _"Remember Me Just Like This"_

The goal: keep Victoriana from getting the Diamond by any means necessary.

Luckily Aeric already couldn't stand her guts, and given he threw around a ball and ran for a living, maybe this could all work out, even if she _was_ one of the most powerful wizards of all time. And Barley, while not a runner, was definitely a strategist, each campaign of Quests of Yore probably preparing him for this very moment.

Besides, if they could fend off a cursed dragon, surely they could do this... right?

Okay—maybe if Aeric and Barley kept tossing the Diamond to each other, Ian could distract Victoriana with his magic, so all her energy could be focused on him as opposed to his brother and boyfriend, who probably wouldn't fare nearly as well. If she could, well, _murder_ all his new friends, she probably wouldn't have a problem with Barley and Aeric— _especially_ Aeric, who'd caught on from the beginning.

"You really could have had it all, Iandore," she threatened, briefly looking up at Barley and Aeric scaling down to the shore. "Instead, your precious Giftless brother and _boyfriend_ —" And of _course_ she said it in a mocking tone— "will also die given they're far more of a burden to you than I originally thought."

She pointed her staff at them, and Ian held his out, ready to go, shouting the first thing that came to mind: " _Voltar Thundasir_!"

Of course, he hadn't been able to conjure it since his sixteenth birthday... and it didn't work here, either, only bringing up a few sparks.

"Oh... crap." But at least it got Victoriana's attention.

"Cute." She smirked, pointing hers right at Ian. "Well, Zantar you're not—and I knew her. You're not even half the wizard she was! _Voltar Thundasir_!"

Of course hers worked, and Ian had to think, _now_. " _Bastion Fortigar_!" he cried, and though the blast blew him back, he landed on the sand, quickly coughing it up once he got back onto his feet, groaning. Quick thinking with the shield spell! She'd try to conjure the Diamond back to her, and Aeric only had his legs to help. What other spells did he know off the top of his head? He'd practically tried to memorize spells like ORC words over the summer, and he needed all the help he could get!

" _Conjur—_ "

" _Luxia Extraordinar_!" Ian shouted first before she could finish, and a giant beam of light aimed right into her eyes. Luckily Barley and Aeric were far enough to not let it affect them as much, and Victoriana yelped, her hands going to her face. Good, it'd buy them some time, but she wouldn't be blinded for long.

Wait, maybe Aeric could be safe if he just... "Aeric, stay still for a second!"

"Babe?" His violet eyes widened, but Aeric did as he was told, stopping in his tracks on the rocks, holding the Diamond tight in his hands.

Ian quickly drew a triangle with his staff in front of Aeric, slashed it, and shouted, " _Visage Invisio_!" Quickly his boyfriend disappeared, and hopefully this would keep Victoriana from finding him.

" _No_!" Victoriana seemed to have her sight back, looking about to see if she could find Aeric's footprints in the sand. But other than the bonfire, not much could be seen past it, even with the Full Moons. If she couldn't aim at the Diamond, she couldn't conjure it back to her hands. But, for the moment, her efforts focused entirely on Ian—because if she got rid of him first, Aeric and Barley wouldn't be far behind. They threw spells at each other, blocking and dodging quickly. A few times Ian threw some armor and shield spells at Barley when she dared to throw something at him, and by the looks of it, he and Aeric, when they ran into each other, exchanged the Diamond between their hands just to keep Victoriana confused.

"Ian, you can't just go with brute force!" Barley advised, rummaging through everyone's things to see if there was something he could use in aiding his brother. "She's the Duplicitous Mage in Quests of Yore! Her staff is the oldest wizard staff in the realms!"

While the advice was needed, it didn't exactly make Ian feel any better, especially as she tried to club him with her staff, and he had to block with his much thinner one.

"Must admit, the history game didn't exactly capture my good looks," she joked, throwing another blast at Barley, which he rolled out of the way to dodge, but it set Ferry's bag ablaze, too. "Youthful wizards are the best for keeping the skin looking younger longer."

Youthful wizards? Had she really been doing this for millennia? "So what, you start to age in a hundred years and pretend the Diamond is in a different town to manipulate young wizards so you can steal their power for yourself? That's not what magic should be used for!"

" _Years_ ago, young wizards would _beg_ to be used for something greater. Manipulation is so much harder in this modern age, with your modern technologies as you've all _forgotten_ why we're here in the first place! It's all about magic—and it's all about power in this new world. But what would _you_ know?" She clashed her staff with Ian's again. "You're just a child with a splinter for a staff."

His brows furrowed. "You're wrong," he declared, a sudden surge of pride rushing through him. This staff wasn't just about him getting better with his magic—this was how he connected with Dad, with his brother, his family, _Aeric_. This staff brought them all so much closer. "Everything I need is _right here_."

He touched his staff to Victoriana briefly. " _Paralos_!" he cried.

They only had about a minute. Maybe Ian could use the Diamond to get everyone back, to make that his wish—but they either had to use it correctly, or destroy it.

And much as casting it into the fire might sound like a good option, that probably couldn't destroy the Diamond.

" _Aha_!" Barley rummaged through Victoriana's things and retrieved a lantern. Is that what she brought the flame in? And why was Barley so interested in it?

"What's that for?" Ian asked, running over to his brother.

"It's a Sprite Lantern," Barley explained lowly. "She can't reverse your Invisibility Spell on Aeric without it. Time to play keep away."

"Give it to Aeric," Ian advised, watching Victoriana start to move again. "I can't have her finding him."

"You got it, bro!" With that newfound energy, Barley started to dash across the sand. " _Woo_ , I can't believe we're _actually_ fighting off an all powerful wizard!"

Well... nice to see his brother getting something out of the _scariest_ fight of his life, a thousand times scarier than the school turning into a dragon. This time he didn't have Mom, or Corey's Curse Crusher (and really didn't know how well it'd fare in really didn't know how well it'd fare in this fight, honestly). But he had Barley's knowledge, Aeric's physical abilities. Crazy as all this was, they _might_ just make it through all this, as long as Ian concentrated, and used everything Victoriana taught him toward defeating her.

"It seems you all have a death wish!" she cried once she could move, and Ian dashed up to her again, throwing the flame spell at her, just to get her attention.

She blocked it, as he knew she would, and their staffs clashed again. "You know, Iandore, you're faring better than I would have imagined. It's rather _annoying_!"

"Turns out, your teachings work! Who would've known?" he countered. Maybe he could get good at this quipping thing!

"You put a lot of energy into that staff—and I know how much it means to you." She stepped back, her grey eyes slit. " _Conjurus!_ " But instead of her aiming her staff at the Lantern, she aimed it to Ian's staff, and her magic was too strong for him to keep hold, and he lunged for it without avail.

" _Accelior_!" With that, Victoriana threw his staff, the _last_ true connection he had to Dad, right into the Eternal Flame.

" _No_!" he cried, eyes welling with tears. At this point, all Ian could do was stagger back as Victoriana stalked toward him.

"Not so powerful now, are you?" she snarled with a wicked grin. Looking around a moment, that grin disappeared. "That didn't seem to do anything to reverse that Invisibility Spell—no matter. Without you, they'll fall in seconds." She spun the staff above her before aiming her magic at Ian. " _Contragrava_!"

The gravity inversion spell! Ian had nothing but sand to hold onto, and quickly started to float up, away from her, away from Barley. How was he going to get down without his own staff? He'd never been able to do much powerful magic outside of astral projection without it! Would he just float so high he'd suffocate? Knowing Victoriana, that might be inevitable. Up he went, as he scrambled to find purchase against anything, but his arms were too short to reach the ledge of the cove, and if he passed that... he was gone forever.

Suddenly, a force grabbed his hand, and Ian knew that grip so well he couldn't help but smile. "Aeric, if she notices you helping me..."

"Barley's hurling whatever he can at her as a distraction," Aeric explained, keeping his grip tight. Gods, if Ian could see one thing for the last time, he wanted it to be his boyfriend. "I'm not letting you go."

"You can't hold onto me forever," he pointed out, feeling a tear rolling down his cheek.

"But you don't need the staff, Ian. You said it yourself: everything you need is _right here_."

Right here... his Heart's Fire was _right here_ , and it was the _one_ decree Victoriana would never have. She may have willed it into all her magic, but it came from the wizards before her, the ones she'd heartlessly sacrificed for her own gain. And that was _never_ what magic was intended for. Aeric knew this. Barley knew this. The rest of the group knew this.

And now, Ian did, too.

"Pull me to the ledge!" he said, an idea forming. "I think I can do this!"

"I promise I'll grab you if it doesn't work!" And, knowing Aeric, he'd keep that promise by any means necessary. "But I know it'll work!"

Ian felt Aeric pull him toward the ledge, this new sense of clarity forming in him. Even if he didn't have Dad's staff, Dad had given him the Gift. And Barley and Aeric had given him the confidence to use it. Tapping the ledge, he lifted his hand afterward and cried, " _Avi Volanta_!" He'd done the flight spell a few times, even in Guinevere 2.0, but now—he did it staffless. And Ian felt himself in control of how he was in the air, other than gravity being inverted on him.

"You're a bigger pain than I ever would have imagined!" she sneered, hurling a few more spells at him, which Ian dodged given he could fly for the moment (but he'd have to be put on solid ground soon).

"Maybe you shouldn't have trained me so well!" Ian replied, smirking as he landed back on the sand. Now that he could hone into his stafffless magic better, they still had a chance.

"Promising young mage." She shook her head, aiming her staff toward the pile of stuff Barley had attempted to hurl at her without avail. "You were so close to greatness, and now you'll fall harder than all the rest. _Presto Avar_!"

Parker's little speaker started to convulse and move, their music playing almost eerily from their phone, especially given how their enjoyable evening had turned into... _this_. But maybe Ian could crush a tiny little speaker, if he could

" _Magnora Gantuan_!" Scratch that! Suddenly the speaker's loud, huge bass pushed Ian back, making it a _lot_ harder to hear! And something told him that if it pushed Aeric down, too, Victoriana would be able to gauge just _where_ he was, and get the Diamond back.

Of course, Barley, who was used to loud music way more than he was, stood with a confidence and a signature grin, puffing his chest out. And then Ian, sprawled out next to him as he tried to get up.

"Hey," his brother said lowly, and with the loud music, Victoriana couldn't hear them. "Take a few steps back and shine a light on my free hand."

"Why?" Ian asked.

"Just trust me, okay?"

Nodding, Ian got up and ran back, and at his brother's behest, he murmured, " _Luxia_ ," shining a subtle light against Barley's hand. Whatever he was holding, got reflected almost as crazily as the Diamond.

" _Hey, Mage_!" Barley called, starting toward the fire. "I think I have something of yours!"

"You—!" Too far to see that it was merely a trick of magic and lighting, Victoriana stalked toward Barley. But instead of aiming an attack at him, she instead shot a spell Ian couldn't hear at the rocks above him. Quickly they started to roll toward him, and before Ian could interfere, the speaker blasted him down again with a particularly loud bass, pushing him down again before he could get up.

He was gonna need to get his hearing check after this!

But instead of the rocks hitting Barley, something pushed him out of the way into safety. Barley scrambled across the sand, trying to get away from Victoriana, who kept pursuing him.

" _Minora Bantam_!" Ian shouted at the speaker once he got his footing, shrinking it back down to its original size. This didn't reverse its animated pursuit against him, but he could deal with the knocks against his ankles as he ran toward the rocks once he noticed something pinned under a rather large one.

To his horror, his invisibility spell on Aeric had faded once he'd been struck, and something told him his boyfriend _still_ clutched to the Diamond.

Aeric pushed Barley out of the way, to _save_ him.

And he may have just...

" _Aloft Elevar_!" Ian shakily moved the rocks off of Aeric, wishing he could do nothing more than to tend to him and see what he could do—but Victoriana still prowled after Barley, thinking he still had the Diamond.

"Oof—you need a mirror, Mage," Barley taunted, and Ian realized he'd just been using a compact mirror to act as the Diamond for his distraction. "You're not looking too good."

Shining the reflection toward her, she shrunk back in terror and started to shout before looking at the moons. Ian, not wanting to leave Aeric's side since he still had the _real_ Diamond on him.

"My _youth_ —!" she shrieked, turning toward Ian. It was then he noticed all the wrinkles, the fact that the few twinges of aging he'd seen on her _had_ been due to magic fading. And now, without her using the Diamond in the timely manner she'd wanted to absorb the souls of his friends... was turning into an ancient hag before their eyes, her spine curving, her long, navy hair turning stark white. She probably only had moments before she turned into dust, but that was more than enough time to get what she wanted.

Ian threw the rocks at her in a blind rage, any semblance of sympathy for her gone the moment she killed his friends, and now—who knew about Aeric? He lay at his feet passed out, the Diamond still in the crook of his arm.

Victoriana still dodged and blocked them with ease, her powers still at their peak.

"You have a lot of power, I'll give you that," Ian announced, readying himself for what he was about to attempt. But he focused in on her, on what he wanted. He _knew_ he could do this, if he'd lasted this long in this battle. "But there's one thing you've been faking for millennia, that you've forgotten all about in your quest for becoming the most powerful wizard of all time. And my non-Gifted boyfriend and brother have it in tenfold compared to you. It's the _first_ decree of magic: Heart's Fire. And because of this, you will _never_ be a true wizard." The power tingled in his fingertips, just itching to be freed. All of Aeric's love, all of Barley's research... it all led up to _this_ singular point.

"My dear boy, Heart's Fire is _meaningless_ if I can get it from the souls I absorb." She readied her staff, intending to grab the Diamond with it. " _Conjur_ —"

" _ **Voltar Thundasir!**_ "Ian shot his hands out, his stance firm and determined, every decree in him working perfectly.

" _Impossible_ —" It was the last thing Ian heard from her, before the sparks flew from his fingers. The blast took her by such surprise that she dropped her staff to the sand, and she was cast into the Eternal Flame, consumed so quickly with how decrepit her body had been turning. The little speaker stilled, the spell reversed.

Barley stared, wide eyed at the flame for a moment before setting down the lantern. "Ian—you just defeated the _freaking_ Duplicitous Mage from Quests of Yore with the _Eternal Flame_. You're a legend!"

But Ian turned back to Aeric, not in the mood for celebrating since he hadn't been able to tend to his boyfriend. Dropping to his knees, he took Aeric's face in his hands, gently shaking him. "Hey... Aeric, it's over."

But Aeric didn't stir. He didn't even seem conscious. "Aeric?" he tried again, his voice shaking.

Again, nothing happened.

Ian leaned down, pressing fingers to his boyfriend's neck, his ear to his chest.

He couldn't hear or feel a heartbeat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this is the cliffhanger I leave you on before Christmas. I know, I'm terrible, but it all just worked out like this! Happy Holidays!
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!


	16. Just in Case I'm the One that Gets Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian resolves the conflict, doing what he can to fulfill the group's wishes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love cliffhangers, by the way. But this needed to be resolved quickly, and before the year is over!

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 16:** _"Just in Case I'm the One that Gets Away"_

"Aeric?" Ian's voice became panicked; he didn't know what to do, if there was anything he _could_ do at this point. "Barley, call Colt—call... call someone!" he cried, letting out a hiccup through his sobs as he clung to Aeric's body. He was still warm...

"Oh, sh—" Barley's hands went over his mouth for a moment, before he collapsed next to Ian on the sand. "Something pushed me out of the way, but I didn't realize..." Shakily, he pulled out his phone. "You know CPR, right?"

" _No_!" He tried to hide his tears in Aeric's shirt, but the hurt in his voice, the tears and snot seeping through, made it plainly obvious. "Do you?"

"I-I... don't," Barley admitted lowly, starting to dial out a call. The gala probably wasn't over yet, which meant this might put a damper in Mom and Colt's evening, but if they had to grab someone... this was considered an emergency, right?

"I'm sorry, Aeric..." Ian sobbed, wishing with all his heart that his boyfriend could hear him. "I never told you I'm sorry..." Sorry for not taking his side even though he was right this whole time, sorry for acting so terribly toward someone he loved more than, well, _anything_. Sorry because he deserved someone so much better, who actually _listened_ instead of figuring he knew best. Gods, Ian had acted so terrible and entitled, pushing Aeric away, never communicating, and now...

Now they couldn't.

Barley must have been calling emergency services, but everything was drowned out by his sobbing, wishing he could hear _something_ of Aeric's again: his sure, healthy heartbeat, his gorgeous voice.

Aeric had his whole life ahead of him! His scholarship to Willowdale and place on the college team, his Salutatorian speech, Prom King... everything was _just_ starting out—even _they_ were still starting out as a couple, with an entire future that had been so clearly paved for the both of them! How could it be over for Aeric, who deserved the life he'd work so hard to get, for it to only be taken from him in the quickest instant, saving Ian's older brother?

How could life just be so _cruel_!

"Barley, what if we..." Ian waited until his brother was off the phone, trying to think of _anything_ that might be able to help Aeric. He might not have Dad's staff anymore, but Victoriana's still lay close to the fire, unused. Surely if he could perform arcane lightning without a staff, he could do something about Aeric... right? "What if we found another Phoenix Gem? What if we could bring Aeric back?" At this point, he was willing to try _anything_ if it meant he could see Aeric again.

"Ian, Dad's Visitation Spell only brought him back for _one_ day," Barley said lowly, shaking his head. "You sure you want to put both of you through that pain? I know what it's like to not have closure, but this might just make things worse..."

"What am I supposed to do, Barley?" Ian snapped, grabbing fistfuls of Aeric's shirt. "He has his whole life ahead of him, and if I just _listened_ to him, he wouldn't be..." Ian couldn't say it; he _refused_ to think this was Aeric's final fate.

"Maybe I can come up with a spell to take his place—" Because if anyone deserved life—a _good_ one, at that—it was Aeric.

"No, he wouldn't be able to live with himself if you did that." Barley took off his beanie and ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe there's a chance—there's paramedics on the way, but we're all the way up here in Shale Cove, and it's hard to get down here..."

Barley was right about that, but at this point, Ian had to try _something_ —he was a wizard, after all, one that defeated the Duplicitous Mage of legend! But how could he reverse, well... _death_?

" _Ian_..." Ian finally looked up from Aeric to hear the whisper coming from the sand. Just beside Aeric's hand, there was... _Vesshydar's Diamond_ , which Aeric had kept safe from Victoriana the whole time. That sounded like... Morgana's voice?

" _Ian, can you hear us_?" That sounded like Parker! He scrambled to pick up the Diamond, cradling it gently.

Ian looked up at Barley. "Barley, did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Barley tilted his head, confused.

"The Diamond, it's..." How was Ian supposed to explain it? "I think Victoriana's spell put everyone's soul in there, but she never used it on herself, and they all..." Just like Aeric, they hadn't deserved the fate they'd gotten, too, when they'd all been so optimistic to use their powers to better the realms.

"We saw," Barley said somberly. "Part of the spell used the Eternal Flame to light them up and leave no trace, and now there's no getting them back, or getting back their staffs, even..."

"But what if—"

Barley shook his head. "Ian, I know what you're gonna say, since you can make _any_ wish on the Diamond. But the limitation _is_ the Flame. _Nothing_ can be retrieved once it's been cast—past or present."

What was he going to do? He just wanted everyone he cared about back... Ian plucked the Diamond from the sand, cradling it in his hands. What was the point of this thing if it couldn't give him everything he wanted?

" _Your brother's right_ ," came Carls's voice, always the reasonable one. " _Much as we would all love that, our bodies have been cast into the Flame, and they're gone forever."_

 _"But..._ " Rose said _,_ and Ian could still hear that kindness laced in her voice. " _I think if you wished it, we could give ourselves to Aeric_."

"No, I can't do that..." Ian said lowly, shaking his head. "How can you live that way?"

" _Our bodies have been cast into the Flame_ ," said Lili. " _If we do this one last thing, we can live on, in our own way—not as magical slaves to a wizard, but through someone who deserves to be here._ "

Could he really do that? Could he give them to Aeric, without knowing what it'd do to him? "What would happen?" he asked, still unsure. "Would I get control of the Diamond? I don't want it. Will he have the Gift, since you all do? Should I even say anything?"

" _He probably won't know what happened, and you don't need to say anything about it,_ " Ferry chimed in. " _Whatever he chooses to do... is on him. But I want to give him this_."

" _Me too,_ " said Cord, and one by one, everyone else consented. One of Ian's tears landed on its brilliant surface, moved by such a selfless act.

"I don't want anyone else to use the Diamond for something corrupt," he decided. "It's been used for that too many times."

" _You're using it on someone who doesn't have the Gift_ ," said Morgana. " _You'll probably destroy it with this last wish_."

He honestly would—the Diamond would never cause anyone such harm again, or be used so terribly. Maybe... this was the only way, especially since everyone trapped didn't mind the outcome, giving themselves to Aeric.

"I love you all," he murmured, unable to say it any louder without the aid of a sob. "Will this _really_ make you happy?"

" _Hey, better a freed soul than a slave to a wizard_ ," Rose pointed out. " _We can actually consent to this_."

" _Yeah_ ," added Cord. " _And you can tell our stories, since you're still here_."

Ian nodded, knowing just how much would be left to sort out, even if he did this. But, if this was the only way to get Aeric back, to give his friends some closure... He picked up Victoriana's staff and settled the Diamond in its crook.

" _I declare my wish to Vesshydar's Diamond, with every bit of my heart—to give the souls trapped a chance at a new life in the vessel before me! This is my one desire!_ "

" _This is our one desire_!" the souls repeated, their voices sure.

Sure, it didn't rhyme, but Ian could feel the Diamond working with his magic, as it floated to Aeric and sank seamlessly into his chest, destroying its unlimited power forever.

Now no one could use it for destruction, or even something amicable. But such power shouldn't be in the hands of _any_ wizard. Even just holding it for a moment _scared_ him.

Ian watched the Diamond shatter inside Aeric's heart in a brilliant light, and then... his chest started to move. Within a moment, his eyes blinked open, as if Aeric was just waking up from being asleep. Ian's hands immediately went to his face, his tears starting all over again—this time elated to see those violet eyes staring right up at him.

"Ian..." he uttered, starting to smile. "Did we...?"

"Yeah, Aeric..." Ian grinned through his sobs, and when Barley looked up, his eyes widened, seeing that it had actually worked. "Yeah, we did it." He leaned in to give Aeric a huge hug, realizing this was their first in... weeks. It was like coming home, to feel those muscled arms wrap right around him, so completely. "I'm so sorry," he uttered into his shoulder, letting Aeric's shirt continue to absorb all his tears. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, and you were so right..." Being able to say that, and for Aeric to _hear_ it, and _absorb_ it...

"I'm sorry I was too late to help your friends," Aeric sighed, starting to sit up, wiping the sand off his shirt.

"That was _never_ your responsibility," Ian assured, shaking his head. He leaned in and kissed Aeric, cupping his jaw as he led it, and just to have his boyfriend back, who had done so much for him—he didn't want to leave. But he blushed when he pulled away, and noticed Barley looking at them. Much as he loved Aeric, he still got a little bashful when it came to showing physical affection with Barley around.

"Not to break the happy moment, but there's still a mess we need to start cleaning up," Barley sighed, pointing to the bonfire still going on, everyone's stuff still strewn about the beach.

Sighing, Ian picked up Victoriana's staff, shuffling it in his hands. Something about the weight of it, the _power_ it'd been used for, didn't feel right. Maybe it was because he was so used to Dad's staff, the splinter he'd been using for over a year now, but there was no way to get it back. "I can clean it all up with magic, but this staff has been used for so much—good and bad."

"Especially bad," Barley piped up, picking up the Sprite's Lantern. "I can't believe she had all these amazing magical relics..."

Ian looked at the staff again, his brow furrowing, contemplating. He couldn't _just_ use staffless magic, not when he still had so much to learn (and teach!) as a wizard.

"Babe?" Aeric asked, reaching over to rub Ian's shoulder delicately. "I know you're still hurt over her throwing your staff into the fire. But you're gonna need one."

"I know." Sighing, Ian took off a splinter from Victoriana's staff, then cast the rest into the Eternal Flame. " _Magnora Gantuan_!" Turning a splinter into a full on wizard staff, especially from something so powerful? That was _way_ more his style.

Barley watched, wide eyed as the oldest known staff in the realms burned in the Eternal Flame without a way to retrieve it. "Ian, did you really just...?"

"Yeah," Ian replied with a smile, feeling a lot better now as he took hold of his new staff. "I just threw one of the oldest wizard staffs into the Eternal Flame."

He helped Aeric up, sighing as he melted into another hug. "You didn't have to do this. You didn't have to come all the way out here with Barley and help me, but... you did, even after the fight, and not talking for weeks, and you—" He choked up again, but he was all out of tears to shed. "You actually still love me?"

"Completely." Aeric brushed one of Ian's curls out of his face. "Even if all I can see of you is pretty much a blur without my glasses."

"We're gonna be in so much trouble," Ian sighed as he started to clean up the beach, placing all the boulders at the bottom of the cliff, everyone's things in their place. Everyone... there would be a long report, with all three of them being witnesses to the action, and letting the families of everyone who was affected know what happened to their loved ones. Ian hoped he could start to show Mom and Colt that he was out of this funk—and on the fast track to graduation.

To Willowdale with Aeric.

If the group gave themselves up so willingly, Ian had to at least make sure he could make all of them proud.

"I'll patch things over with Mom, and I'm sure once we all have a talk she'll understand everything better," Barley promised, still shuffling through Victoriana's things. "Holy Shantar's Talon, this is the Cone of Thimbleshire!"

Ian felt a spark of an idea starting to form and smiled, holding up his new staff. "Barley, you're looking to major in Magical History and Preservation, right?"

"Yeah..." Barley drew out, not sure where Ian was going with this.

"Well... I was thinking, maybe you could keep all these artifacts for now? Work with Corey and see if anything can be used in the Tavern, or donated to a museum? And hell, you'd probably be a great keeper of the Eternal Flame in that Sprite's Lantern, don't you think?"

"Iandore Lightfoot, it would be an absolute honor." Barley grinned, pulling his little brother in for a hug. And, being so used to Aeric's, this one wasn't as tight.

Ian fit the Flame in the Lantern, so Barley could keep a good eye on it, and took Aeric's hand once he heard the sirens atop the cliff.

"Ian? Barley?" That was Mom! He shrunk closer to Aeric, almost like a shield to see if she was still angry, since he was technically still grounded.

"You boys okay?" Colt called down, and with all their things, they started back up to greet them. They were still in their gala outfits, harried, but they looked like they wanted to be here, to check up on them and make sure they were all okay.

When he sank into a family hug, apologizing to them with another round of tears, and Mom's hand stroked through his curls, Ian breathed a sigh of relief, knowing the worst was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even though everything with the group is resolved, there's still a few closure chapters I'm going to write!
> 
> See you in the next year!
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.


	17. We Look Good in Black and White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian and Aeric attend Senior Prom, ready to finally find out if they win Prom Kings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, this chapter was a doozy to write, since there was so much I wanted to start wrapping up... and this isn't even the last chapter! But we're almost there. Which means I'm that much closer to a looooong break.
> 
> Until I come up with another story, of course.

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 17:** _"We Look Good in Black and White"_

Even though the night of the battle against Victoriana ended with a lot of paperwork, a lot of hours spent with Ian, Barley, and Aeric providing witness testimony to conclude that it was all, well, a _magical_ occurrence, Ian still went home and immediately accepted Willowdale for the upcoming year.

He then took a deep breath, looking around his room. Sure, it was three in the morning, Mom exhausted from getting dressed up and having to deal with Ian running away and almost, well, giving his entire being to an all powerful wizard, but the sense of clarity he felt now, that he had to make everyone else in the group proud as he and Aeric finally started to live, had him looking at the stillness of his environment. The water tower in town, the full moons starting to move west across the night sky. The acknowledgment that Dad's staff wasn't Ian's connection to him, but the magic itself. The immense joy just knowing Aeric still loved him, despite everything, and was still here to tell him that every day.

He'd been two days away from missing the Willowdale acceptance deadline, and thank the gods for that. Maybe it was fate, or something of the sort, that had to show him just how terrible the path he'd been going down was, so he could be pushed in the right direction. And now he could start educating people on how special magic could be, with Aeric and the Laurel tree as support (and still come home most weekends, of course).

Tomorrow, Ian decided. Tomorrow he could talk to Mom, and Barley, and especially Aeric about his behavior, and start all his makeup work at school. Hell, he didn't mind Aeric driving him to and from school either, since they both had a lot to work through—especially with Prom so soon!

Prom... Ian really didn't think about what he'd wear. But he finally drifted off with thoughts of dancing with Aeric, and this sure future that he'd get to share with him and his family.

* * *

Discussions went better than expected, with Ian fessing up to Mom about _everything_ —from Victoriana's proposition to how she kept enabling him to do magic under this false pretense that he didn't need his family and Aeric and school simply because they weren't completely magic-focused, that they didn't matter because none of them had The Gift.

"I believed her," Ian confessed, putting his head in his hands in absolute embarrassment now that he was saying all of it aloud. "I can't believe for a _second_ I thought you weren't special. You and Barley _raised_ me without Dad, and here I am, taking it for granted..."

"Hey..." Mom rubbed his shoulder, giving him a warm smile. "You saw this as _one_ connection you could make with him, that none of us could ever. She took advantage of your Gift because she saw something in you that not even she could find."

"Am I still grounded?" Ian asked, wincing. "I made sure to get my spot at Willowdale, and I know what I have to do to make up at school..."

"You're still grounded," Mom confirmed, nodding. " _But_ , you've been through enough already, so I'll let Aeric drive you to and from school."

"And... Prom?" he pressed, hoping he could get her to lay off on that, too, especially when Aeric already had their tickets for weeks.

" _And_ you can go to Prom with Aeric," she relented with a sigh, pulling Ian into a hug. "It's not every day one of my boys is nominated for Prom King. But no after parties!"

"Deal." Sure, the cheerleaders had supposedly rented out a cabin for the night, but he had to take the wins where he could. The group would probably understand—and Ian _really_ owed them all an apology for being so aloof recently, actually thinking he might be better than any of them! How could he have ever thought that, when Sadalia was one of the smartest people he knew, Parthenope the sweetest, Gurge the strongest, and Althea the most compassionate? These next few weeks before graduation would be nothing but making up, either with his friends, or with his teachers and schoolwork, but looking to this last summer, to their future, it'd be worth it.

Making up with Aeric, turned out, ended up being not nearly as nerve wracking, starting with a romantic afternoon that definitely had them both in a good mood. Sure, Ian brought over homework, but... it'd been a while. Homework could wait a bit.

"I missed you a lot," Aeric sighed, pulling Ian back on top of him. "Like... not just with the magic, and this, and keeping up with homework, but _everything_. Us talking. Just... living, you know?"

"Yeah, I think I get that." Ian nodded, tracing mindless shapes onto Aeric's skin lightly. "Even when I was thinking about just letting Willowdale slip by, I still wanted you to come with me, like you had to see that what I was doing was right. I still wanted you."

"There's nothing I want more than to travel the realms with you." Aeric brushed his fingers through Ian's hair, in some gentle, fruitless attempt to detangle his curls. " _But_ , I wanna do that once we have something stable. I still have engineering to fall back on if my sports career doesn't work out—and who even knows what'll happen, you know?"

Ian looked down a moment. He knew the group didn't want Aeric to know what they'd done for him, and that'd be something he'd grapple with every day, but that didn't mean he didn't think about telling him, especially in intimate moments like this. "Yeah... And you know, I really do wanna go to college. Maybe see some of what my dad experienced and see his path and just... forge my own, you know? Get to know him a little better, since I don't really have much of him left."

"And maybe when the charismatic wizard approaches us, you act a little more cautious?" Aeric smiled, kissing the top of his head.

"I _promise_ ," Ian laughed, cuddling closer to Aeric. "And you know I'm sorry for letting that all get the better of my sense of judgment. But she did teach me a few things—like... I really love helping people with magic. Kind of like when Barley taught me, but... I can't explain it. It's like passing the Gift on, almost, even if it's already there. Does that make sense?"

"Sure." Aeric laughed back, and maybe he wouldn't get it completely, but he had a sense. "You know... I can see you being a good teacher. You're already great keeping me on track with homework, and you're good with incentives..."

"We started with 'incentives' first," Ian replied with a giggle, starting to get up for a moment before settling back against Aeric. "But I think we deserved it after all this time apart, don't you think?"

" _Gods_ yes," Aeric sighed, letting out a stretch. "And who says there can't be... extra incentives today?"

"Depends." Ian shot his boyfriend a coy smile. "We need to see how quickly I can get through all that makeup work for all those classes I missed."

"Well, you know me—always up for a challenge." Aeric finally got out of bed, and Ian followed not long after.

With Aeric at his side, he'd catch up with everything in no time.

* * *

Now that Ian had Aeric, and had talked to all of his teachers about staying late and turning in all the work he'd missed, and he apologized to the group and started spending more time with them, he could turn his full attention to Prom.

More importantly: _what was he going to wear_?

With all this focus on the group, and magic, how could he find a decent outfit? Especially one people would see him in, should they win? He had to be innovative—bold! And he still had to wear his heels from Spring Fling last year, given how much Mom had spent on them. He had that, with Dad's old suit laid out on his bed as he tapped his toes, looking at both and pondering. At this point, it was magic or nothing! But how could he transform Dad's suit to look dashing and stylish? Ian had his laptop open to some fashion sites, but nothing seemed particularly innovative. He didn't want anything low cut, and wasn't sure about wearing a full on dress when there was the very real possibility of him tripping over something floor length. Honestly, he had a hard enough time wearing something that went below his knees.

Maybe focus on the deep purple velvet, make that the showcase over the white ruffled shirt. No bow tie, since Aeric had his tux pretty much figured out (but he needed to get his boyfriend an _idea_ of what color to get his tie and cummerbund and pocket square—and _yes_ , Aeric wanted to go all out on all those). Ian tossed those two items from the ret of the suit, pursing his lips.

A pantsuit could look good... Ian transformed the jacket and pants into one, with an off shoulder cut and long sleeves. But wasn't that a little... matronly? It needed a choker and belt to kind of tie the whole thing together. And for a warm spring evening, long sleeves didn't seem right.

Ian transformed a couple of old keychains into a faux diamond choker and belt, then removed the sleeves.

"Better..." he uttered to himself as he stepped into the ensemble, exhaling as he looked into the mirror. "But it's still missing... something."

Mom knocked on the door, peeking her head in. "Hey—how's it going up here?" she asked lowly.

"I dunno," Ian sighed, letting her in. "I'm not exactly a designer."

"No, but I taught you how to be creative." Mom looked from Ian's new pantsuit to Dad's shirt and bow tie on the bed. "Did you..."

"No—no, no, it's magic!" Ian assured, waving his staff. "It'll be temporary. I couldn't take apart Dad's suit. Not like that."

"Okay." Mom shot him a calm smile, rubbing his arm. "What's the problem, baby?"

"It's just... missing _something_ ," Ian repeated, now that she could hear him. "I dunno what it is, and you might be able to help..."

"So..." Mom took a step back and circled Ian, taking in every bit of him up and down. "You went with a pantsuit with heels, a few accessories, same heels from last year." She pursed her lips, thinking. "It's a great start."

"But...?" Ian's brows furrowed in worry.

"Hear me out: in front, raise the neckline to the choker; make that the clasp for the entire outfit."

"Okay..." he said slowly, but went with her suggestion. A little better.

"Now—lower the hem in the back here." She pointed midway down his spine.

"What?" Wasn't that a little... risqué?

"Just trust me," she said in a patient tone. And Ian, who definitely couldn't say no to his own mother now, took her suggestion, shivering a bit once he realized he'd never worn anything backless before. "See?"

Ian turned to the side, looking at himself in the mirror. His eyes widened; such a small change had made such a difference! "Yeah—that actually really helped." And, knowing Aeric, he'd probably have a hand on his back the entire night, whether it be dancing, or even just walking. "But I still think it's missing something."

Mom pursed her lips again. After a moment, she grabbed a spare sheet from his closet. "You can transform things with magic, right? How about a nice, shimmering train attached to the back hem?" she suggested, draping it so he had a better idea of what she had in mind. "Something that flows when you're dancing, or walking onstage when you win..."

"'When'?" Ian chuckled. "You're really that confident we're gonna win Prom Kings?"

"You wanted to date one of the most popular guys in school. That comes with a few perks. Besides, I doubt Aeric would be campaigning so hard if you two weren't together—or if he'd be running at all."

"You really think he loves me that much?" Flushing, Ian realized just what kind of conversation this might be turning into. But he did as she suggested, turning the sheet into a sparkly train a shade lighter than the suit. How was she so genius?

"Ian, I've seen how he looks at you, like you're the only person in the realms." She nudged his chin with her thumb. "It's the same way your dad used to look at me."

"Really?" Ian asked hopefully. Yeah, he knew Aeric loved him, but that much? Enough to last from here... and beyond?

Mom just rubbed his arms for a moment, before looking down at him. "You're still missing something. Hold on for a minute, will you?"

"Oh—okay." Ian continued to walk around the room, just getting used to the look. He could hold up the train during the walk from the car to the venue location, and looked so nice under even the bedroom light, with how it sparkled in twirls. It'd certainly turn a few heads, that was for sure.

Finally Prom King worthy.

"Here." Mom came back with a pair of white opera gloves. "I know they seem a little... _extra_ , like you kids say, but just try it."

Ian gave her a look that was probably more skeptical than intended, but took the gloves from her and slipped them on. Something about them... that was the finishing touch. It tied the whole thing together, enough for Mom to place a hand over her chest in pride.

"That's it," she decided. "You're gonna take his breath away."

"Thanks." Ian sat on the bed, glad that he had all this figured out. "I guess now all that's left to do is... enjoy Prom."

"Easier said than done, trust me." Mom hung up Dad's jacket and bow tie, setting them aside in Ian's closet for now. "But you'll love it. You'll have so many good memories looking back on it."

Nodding, he took his heels off, ready to just have fun with the rest of senior year. "You're right. Gods, it's like I can see that finish line, and I feel like it's going both too fast and too slow."

"It's too fast, always," Mom assured, kissing his forehead. "You'll see it soon enough. Just enjoy the ride while you're still on it."

* * *

Only Mom accompanied Ian to Aeric's place on Prom Night, arriving a little earlier so they could take more pictures than for Spring Fling. Ian had spent the whole morning figuring out his curls, taming them with the product Parthenope had given him for his birthday (which honestly worked even better than magic, if he was being honest). Other than the suit, his only magical touch was transforming the Phoenix Gem necklace into a bracelet, dangling over his right gloved wrist. And... he couldn't help that nervous energy permeating the back of his mind. Unlike Spring Fling, people would notice him, either for magic, for the Prom King campaign, or just because he was dating Aeric for over a year—so he had to look good. And he couldn't trip. And all he had was the simple magic he knew how to do without a staff, but for Aeric, he'd have to resort to doing it as little as possible.

All that nervousness went right out the door as soon as Aeric answered the door in his tux, his hair slicked back. His tie matched that deep purple of Dad's suit, and once on his arm, Ian knew he had very little to worry about. Especially if Aeric was going to keep looking like this the whole night, violet eyes wide, mouth slightly agape in awe.

"I mean, I might sound like a broken record from Spring Fling... but Ian—you look _perfect_."

It wouldn't be the last time he heard it, of course. Smiling, he kissed Aeric's cheek gently before stepping into the Aldheim home, only to have Della shoot him the same look.

"Wow, Ian—you went all out!" she exclaimed. " _Beyond_ all out! Where did you get such a snazzy suit?"

"Um, magic!" Ian explained, giving them a twirl. "I modified my dad's old suit temporarily... with some modifications by my mom." He looked up at Aeric and added lowly, "It's the only magic I'll try to use tonight."

"Great taste, Laurel," Fiske complimented, shooting Mom a warm smile. "The boys look great."

"Now come on—we have prime twilight hours to get the best pictures!" Della exclaimed, holding up her phone. "I want pictures of my Prom Kings!"

Again, with that unwavering confidence they'd win. But Ian didn't mind being posed, making sure to keep his shots with Aeric chaste, only with the barest of pecks and hugs. Aeric slipped a white rose corsage on his wrist, something a little cheesy, but the way he kissed his hand, how he could still feel those warm lips through the glove... whatever happened tonight, it'd honestly be one of the best of senior year.

Sure, the whole group could have splurged on a limo, but to only spend a little time in it? Ian could think of better ways to spend their money, like maybe a quick outing to the Fry Palace or Master FroYo. Something they could kill an hour with, with the people he loved most at school. So they piled in Aeric's car, Mom reminding him that he had to be home an hour after Prom was over, with Aeric promising he'd be good with time. And, knowing his boyfriend, he'd have Ian home _right_ on time.

Last year, Tina let them know her class had voted on the aquarium as their Prom venue, but their class voted on the observatory—probably the greatest location Ian could think of that didn't go outside New Mushroomton, but this meant he and Aeric could see the starts, dance under them... and that same sentiment spread to pretty much every other couple in school. Hell, with its huge parking lot, it was _perfect_.

"Oh— _wow_." Ian clasped to Aeric's hand once they made it past the mandatory photo booth where they could grab their obligatory awkward Prom photo, his eyes wide as he took in _everything_. Maybe it'd be too much, but there had to be at least a few corners they could sneak to, or go out to the balcony to overlook the rest of the city. Star projections danced all over the ceiling, and the dark lights gave everything a galactic, almost otherworldly feel. Screens projecting clips and stills from school gatherings, prep rallies, and games played silently to celebrate their class, and Ian had a feeling Aeric made it into quite a few of them. "Is Prom really only a few hours?"

"We'll get it all done," Aeric promised, kissing his cheek. "Now let's go find everyone else and claim one of the tables."

Lo and behold, knowing Sadalia, she grabbed the best table in the house, looking perfectly to the makeshift stage with the DJ and galactic background, and right next to the dance floor in case anyone needed a break from their heels while still being in the fun. Each table held a flower centerpiece, with flowers ranging from all over the realm, navy ribbons tying every chair together. And each chair held a ballot for Prom royalty, as well as an attached pen. They made their rounds, kissing everyone's cheeks and showering them in compliments, particularly Parthenope dyeing her hair a very vivid red to match her dress, and Kameron's shimmering dress that gleamed a million colors in her tank, especially with how Althea's suit matched her perfectly.

" _Remember_ ," the Vice Principal announced into the mic. " _Please drop off your ballots by nine PM for them to count toward Prom royalty_."

"We should get to that first," Ian decided, being a little bit of a worrywart, though he noticed Sadalia had already checked them off on her ballot.

"Hey, good idea," Aeric replied, holding out Ian's chair for him to sit. "Whatever vote anything can get us. I mean—look around, babe. People are really digging what you're wearing."

"Huh?" But Ian took his eyes off all the glitz of the decorations and on his peers, flushing when he saw a few whispering about what he was wearing with approving smiles. "You... think they all like my outfit?"

"You made it with magic." Aeric shrugged. "You clearly have an advantage."

"The buffet opens at eight!" Gurge announced as he came back to the table. "Who knows if it's even enough to feed our whole class."

"If not—maybe a trip to Burger Shire after it's over?" Althea suggested, looking around the table for approval.

"I have a curfew since I'm still grounded, but maybe we'll see!" Ian nodded, hoping he got some great time with his friends here.

"You said you were voting for Prom royalty now?" asked Parthenope, filling out her ballot, too. "You know, if you do it now, you can walk around and make your rounds, assure some of those last minute votes."

"Oh, I don't really care about that..." said Ian, trying to be humble.

" _Please_ ," Sadalia interrupted with a smile. "You look incredible. We're at the end of _senior year_ , and this is one of our last things together as a class. At least be a little selfish while we still have our group."

She did bring up a good point. "Well, if you think it'll help..." Ian filled his ballot out after Aeric. "I guess we'll do some rounds."

"And dance!" Kameron piped up. "I bet your train will look great under the lights."

Another great point. "Yeah—that's a good idea." _Still_ , he wanted to have some time with his friends, but then again, they probably could trust all their stuff at the table when it was in such close vicinity to the dance floor. Sighing, Ian stood, and he and Aeric took each other's hands to bring up their ballots. Sure, he didn't get too much into the more electronic sounds the DJ played, but this was what got Aeric pumped—and he wanted to enjoy all the high school he'd missed with the group, thinking this was all just a waste of time. He tried to take every compliment lobbied toward him with a smile, but he wasn't that used to it. Sure, there'd been Tina's sleepover last year, his introduction to just _how_ eye catching he looked in a skirt, but he'd been, well, pretty buzzed. Sober, though? It was almost too much.

"Hey," Aeric pointed out lowly. "You look fantastic. Bask in the popularity—it's not like we'll have this once we get to Willowdale."

True, and Ian remembered that this _was_ Dad's suit—a suit Dad used to garner his own positive attention at some point. And with that, and Mom's style choices, it was a culmination of all their talents: magic, style, and confidence. Ian held himself a little taller, grinning at the compliments, handing out hugs to cheerleaders and Aeric's teammates alike. And with that confidence, he didn't think about tripping over his heels (and being on Aeric's arm helped).

"Are you gonna request another Puddle of Mush song to the DJ if we win?" Ian asked with a cheeky smile, as they passed by the buffet table. Looked like the biggest option was griffin with herb sauce and roasted potatoes with salad—something that would no doubt have Aeric feeling full.

"Maybe," Aeric replied with a grin, leaning in to kiss Ian's cheek. "Guess you'll just have to see." He nudged his chin toward the dance floor. "You wanna show off that gorgeous train now?"

Ian nodded, already leading Aeric under the stars. "I'm a little curious, too. But I wanna dance with the whole group at some point."

"We'll make it happen," Aeric promised, starting to get Ian into the groove once they reached the dance floor. Ian swayed with Aeric, letting him lead as he tried not to care about how he looked. All that mattered was that the train sparkled, his shoes looking just as great.

Time flew crazily once they started dancing—with the group twirling with him, songs blending together. At one point, Ian found himself dancing with Parthenope, enjoying how she moved in a red twirl, like an enthusiastic flame.

"So—looks like you, me, and Aeric are the only three in the group heading to Willowdale," she pointed out, puffing out her curls. "You think we'll all still be friends after all this is over?"

"I sure hope so," Ian replied, though his smile probably had a hint of sadness. He couldn't believe they'd all be splitting up! But after what he put them through, he really hoped they could all still catch up whenever everyone was back in New Mushroomton. "And... I know I apologized a million times, but I feel awful for neglecting the already amazing friends I have here just because of magic. You're all so awesome in your own ways."

"Well, between you and me, Sadalia might be a school wizard," she joked with a wink, leading Ian into a playful dip. "But you don't need to apologize anymore, Ian. We're way past that, since you have the whole summer to make it up!"

"And I really can't wait!" It all went up from here... right?

Just after a punch break, the buffet opened, and the music quieted down for everyone to take a breather. There was another announcement for the class to get their ballots in, and Ian figured Aeric must have talked to the DJ while he was distracted, dancing with their friends, the sneak! Because then he suggested after eating, they take a walk through and around the observatory, just to get some time alone. How could he say no to that, in arguably one of the most romantic places in the city?

"Cold?" Aeric asked once they were outside, wrapping his arm around Ian's shoulders.

Ian shook his head, leaning against his boyfriend anyway. "Look at how gorgeous the city looks from up here," he sighed, getting lost in the lights. With the music thumping behind them, this was a much needed break from all the chaos inside.

"You think we'll still come up here, even when we're at Willowdale, and how crazy schoolwork is gonna get?" Aeric took his phone out, chuckling as he saw the special filter just for the school, and all the stories already posted.

"We'd better." Because Ian would love to be here in a less extravagant outfit, much as he loved what he was wearing. "Look at all the stars out, the moons... it's like we're all at peace now, after all that. It's almost as good as the lookout."

They explored a bit more, in some of the more secluded rooms of the observatory, the planetarium being a complete favorite, with a looping narrator talking about their moons, their solar system in a soothing voice. Ian lost track of the slow dancing with his boyfriend, how many kisses they shared now that it was just them. Sure, they should be schmoozing, but to be with Aeric, after being away from him for so long... he needed this.

"It's almost time for them to announce," Aeric sighed. "Besides, we left the group hanging for too long."

"You're right." Ian sighed, too, wishing he could just spend the rest of the night here with Aeric. _But_ , he wanted to see the outcome.

Once they were back on the dance floor, they shared a slow dance, and later Aeric and Sadalia taught him one of those group dances that Ian had seen people do online, but had never tried to attempt himself. Honestly, he gave up the moment he tripped in his heels, and it was the _one_ time during the night he used magic to keep himself from hitting the ground.

"Okay," Aeric laughed, holding Ian steady. "Maybe we don't try any crazy dance moves again?"

"Not without magic, anyway." And he was glad his blunder happened _after_ everyone voted, just in case that might be a deterrent. "Maybe I should make up a dancing spell."

"I like the crazy way you dance," Aeric teased, kissing him gently, before the Principal walked onstage, to get everyone's attention.

"Alright, alright... with an hour left until your Prom is over, it's time to announce our royalty!" Aeric grasped his hands, actually... nervous. He really wanted this. For Ian, it was really just nice to know that somebody had voted for them. The type of guy everyone remembered. This night would define that, if they won. Sure, he knew Dad would be proud of him no matter what, but a physical remembrance would nice, too.

"I love you," he murmured, just to assure Aeric about that, no matter what.

"And, your Prom royalty... _Aeric Aldheim and Ian Lightfoot_!"

It honestly didn't sound real—but those were their names! That just came out of her mouth! Ian could feel the spotlight on them, the crowds parting as their class applauded, and he shook as Aeric led them both to the stage to be crowned. Spring Fling had Aeric onstage, but he was used to people watching him. Ian, on the other hand, looked out at the crowd and moved a little closer to his boyfriend, not used to all those eyes on him. But—it was in applause, in admiration. His class _voted_ for them. And sure, it was a popularity contest—but what was high school without a _little_ vanity? Too much, and he knew Aeric would tell him.

Crowns, flowers, the school song... They accepted their sashes and posed for pictures. Ian had handed his phone to Gurge under the instruction that he have pictures to send for this very purpose—he had to have something to send home to Mom about this victory! And, what he didn't expect, was for Aeric to dip him into a kiss, sending the crowd into a holler.

Prom Kings! Ian came up and fixed his crown on his curls, grinning. They actually did it!

"I love you," Aeric murmured in his ear, just before they were led into their dance.

"You—" He couldn't believe his boyfriend had done it again! "You went to the DJ!" Sure, it wasn't his favorite Puddle of Mush one, but rather something else Aeric introduced him to, to change things up. But it was slow enough for Ian to lean into him, his gloved hands playing with the short ends of his boyfriend's hair. "I'm glad I'm here with you tonight." And if he hadn't been so stupid, he didn't have to think about any future where this didn't happen.

"It's a rite of passage! And what's even crazier is that this isn't even the biggest high of our lives. Not yet." Aeric, though being insanely popular, somehow instinctively _knew_ he wouldn't peak in high school. And what a feeling. Honestly, it gave Ian hope that he probably wouldn't, either, with Willowdale in such close sight.

"And what would be the biggest high for you?" Ian asked, letting everything melt away except for Aeric, and his gorgeous eyes.

"I'll let you know when we're there," he said with a wink, and that gave Ian an idea.

The song ended, but they kept their sashes and crowns on, given they probably wouldn't find another appropriate occasion to wear them. Ian went through his phone once Gurge handed it back, smiling. "Aw, these are great!" Sure, his camera quality could be better, but at least he had something to send to Mom. "I'm sad that I have that curfew, since I'm still grounded..."

"Let's dip," Althea suggested with a shrug, not even thinking about it. "You both got the crowns. Let's just take a couple of group pics and hit Master FroYo before you have to go home."

"What, really?" Ian's eyes widened, especially once everyone nodded in approval. "But it's _Prom_."

"Yeah, and?" Sadalia added. "We danced, we hung out, we ate. Now I wanna hang with everyone where it's a little quieter. The after party is what everyone's looking forward to, anyway. No having to try and sneak drinks in, that's for sure."

"Hey—no making Ian jealous," Aeric pointed out, rubbing his shoulder. "Even I'm sitting out in solidarity."

"Aw, Aeric, really?" Gurge sighed. "The team's gonna be devastated."

"So?" Aeric shrugged. "I don't mind calling it a night. I'm a _Prom King_! But Althea's right—we're done here, I think. Even I'm willing to cheat on my diet just a little bit!"

"So we're in agreement?" asked Parthenope, just to clarify. "We're heading out to Master FroYo and getting in some group time with Ian before the after party?"

"Sounds good to me!" said Kameron. "Then again, I have to agree since my girlfriend suggested it."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Gurge got out of his seat, suddenly looking pumped. "Let's blow this popsicle stand!"

Well, why the hell not? Ian got up, pulling Aeric with him. "We'll meet you at the Master FroYo by school!" he decided. Some alone time with his friends, people staring given what they were wearing... When else were they going to do something so dumb and fun? They were still kids, after all.

They got a few stares, given the Prom Kings were ditching right after they won, but Ian just ran, well aware that his sparkly train flew behind him like a superhero.

"Funny how you can _run_ in heels, but not _dance_ ," Aeric laughed once they were in his car, still in crown and sash and everything.

"I must've gotten my dancing gene from my dad," Ian replied, playing with his sash. "At least our dance looked okay, right?"

"I don't care about that," Aeric replied. "All that mattered was keeping my attention on you."

They got to Master FroYo last, but on a Saturday night, the place was hopping with families and teens hanging out, enjoying the old school atmosphere and all their different, delicious flavors and toppings. The moment they walked in, Ian felt eyes on him, taking in his absolutely fanciful, formal outfit, but realizing he was with the other Prom goers, they went back to their yogurt quickly.

All except for one little elf, who pulled on his train. She looked up at him with wide eyes, that, for a moment, reminded Ian of Morgana, and how stylish she was. "You look like a princess," she complimented, her mouth agape.

"Oh—I'm so sorry!" Her mom apologized, frantically pulled the girl back.

"No—it's fine, really," Ian assured, smiling. And it was then he realized: he was probably the best dressed person in the room, for the first time... _ever_. He was just so used to blending in. "Thank you, though. That's very sweet."

They got their yogurt (sea salt dark chocolate, dragonfruit, cheesecake, topped with berry cereal and dark chocolate pieces for Ian, matcha and vanilla topped with strawberries and other fruits for Aeric), then sat with the others, glad for the quiet, the fact that he could hear everyone and really connect with them.

"You haven't stopped smiling since that compliment," Aeric pointed out, nudging Ian lightly.

It was probably because of Morgana, but he'd keep that to himself. "I just... I've never looked so eye-catching before." He tapped his spoon against the rim of his bowl, taking in everything from his crown to his heels.

"I really like the feeling."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one more chapter left! And hopefully it'll be shorter than whatever this juggernaut was.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are insanely appreciated.


	18. Something You Can Hold Onto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian and Aeric make it to Graduation--and Aeric is a little nervous when getting ready to deliver his Salutatorian speech.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has seriously been a crazy week. My country is probably in turmoil, and one of my favorite coworkers just died, but I really wanted to see this story through to the end. Who knows, maybe it's just this one happy thing in this otherwise crazy time. You should all know this year isn't exactly starting out the way we wanted.
> 
> But on a lighter note, I'm really happy I got to develop and share this idea with everyone. It's seriously been a great time seeing Ian and Aeric's relationship develop.

_**Please Remember Me Like This** _

**Chapter 18:** _"Something You Can Hold Onto"_

Here they were: Graduation Day.

After hours of boring rehearsal, using the field and its makeshift stage to walk across countless times, they _finally_ made it. Every senior had their legs twitching, anxious to finally _walk_ across the stage and finalize the end of their high school experience, ready to get out there in the real world. And Aeric's only bright spot in the endless hours of sitting in the sun, on folding chairs way too uncomfortable, was sitting onstage and immediately finding Ian in the crowd (yes, even behind his taller classmates). They sent each other silent looks during the boring moments, the occasional sign of love when they could. Aeric wished he could text, but onstage, that'd just look way too unprofessional, especially when he had the opening speech.

The opening speech... and yeah, Aeric could run in front of all these people, throw a ball with the adrenaline rush of _knowing_ they were all seeing his hard work paying off, but a speech, where he had to stand still, and really look out at everyone while desperately hoping he didn't stumble over his words? Absolutely nerve wracking.

Of course, leave it to Ian to tell him it was great when they rehearsed in his room. As in, just the two of them. With the person he trusted and loved most. It just wasn't fair.

"Ugh—what if I start stumbling through the speech at some point?" he lamented, pulling up his glasses to run his hands over his face. Maybe he should take them off; the crowd would then be blurry and he might be able to get through his speech without worrying about everyone's expression.

But everyone would be able to see through that trick a mile away. And worse yet, what if he couldn't read the words in front of his face? Ian liked to steal his glasses and joke about how bad his sight already was.

Aeric held the speech at about the distance it'd be from the podium, sighing. Yeah, there was no way he could do this without perfect sight. "Shantar's Talon, I'm blind."

"You'll do _fine_ ," Ian assured, leaning in to kiss Aeric lightly. "You're one of the smartest in the class—hence why _you're_ making the opening speech. Everyone loves you because you're also insanely nice. Not to mention... you're hot." He added that with a casual shrug.

Laughing, that did ease Aeric up, just a bit. "Oh, I hope I'm not too much with my hands." While he was holding the speech where the podium would be, that was one thing for rehearsal, but for the actual event?

"You could sign," Ian suggested, shrugging once more.

"Oh no, there's no way." Aeric rubbed his hands over his face again, realizing the thought of it had him shaking. "Having a casual conversation with a friend is _not_ the same as translating an entire speech. Besides, the interpreter will be there the whole time."

"Wait—the grammar structure is different?" Now it was Ian's turn to be embarrassed. "Oh, man, now I really regret every sign I've tried to give Millie with how we talk!"

"Yeah, it's hard, babe. But I'm not signing. I'm probably just gonna grip the podium for my nerves. Gods, I hope I don't tap my fingers too much and the mic picks upon it..."

"Hey, Aer, look at me." Ian gently cupped his jaw so they could look each other in the eye. Yeah, most elves had brown eyes, but something about how deep Ian's were, so warm and inviting that made him so trustworthy, that had Aeric relaxing immediately. "You were chosen for this because we all see something special in you. The mic will likely only pick up on that gorgeous voice of yours. You know _exactly_ where I'm sitting for the whole ceremony, and it's just like the ORC—it's only a few hours of our lives. Only this time, we're not being graded on it."

Aeric sighed, calming himself down. Ian might freak out over things like this a bit more, but he was really good at talking him down. "I'm gonna look at you the whole time, you know that, right?"

"Yeah—and that's the _one_ good thing about you sitting onstage." He looked over at Aeric's robe, his sash blazoning his Salutatorian status, along with the Honors cord. "Now—we're gonna practice it one more time, and then we can do the fun stuff: working on decorating our caps!"

Luckily all the confidence boosters from his boyfriend, and the fact that he could pick out Ian in the vast crowd, certainly helped. Sure, Mom and Dad probably sat with Colt and Laurel and Barley, but they were out in the bleachers with the rest of the parents, while everyone else sat on the field, fidgeting in their emerald robes. The underclassmen school band played the NMHS fighting song, everyone walking two by two to their seats. The sun blazed overhead for this mid afternoon, late spring ceremony, and he noticed the plethora of guests already fanning themselves with their programs, wearing bright smiles for their family members despite the weather and the spring suits and dresses.

Aeric squeezed Sadalia's hand briefly before they parted, to split at the end of the aisle and walk onstage on opposite ends. They, along with their guest speaker and the faculty, remained standing until everyone in their class made it to their seats, then the principal gestured them all to sit down. But Aeric didn't—he had to address everyone firsthand, welcoming the thousands of guests here today to witness their class graduating.

College commencement wouldn't be _nearly_ as nerve wracking, he was sure.

Aeric's heart pounded in his ears as he gathered his speech and made his way to the podium, trying to think of this thunderous applause as cheering for a game. This was the very field where he scored his first touchdown, ran with the varsity team. This was where he practiced and played for four years. It's where he took Ian under the bleachers to have some private moments. At this point, it _should_ be home.

In an instant, he found Ian's face in the crowd, taking a deep breath and pushing his glasses up before he gripped the sides of the podium. He'd done it for their class—now it was time to deliver it for real.

"Good afternoon, friends, family, faculty, and, most of all, this year's graduating class of New Mushroomton High. We did it—we actually made it to Graduation Day, so now, it's time to breathe that sigh of relief." He did an exaggerated one for comedic effect, earning him a couple of chuckles. Not bad. "Oh—it's not time yet? I guess we'll wait until the ceremony's _actually_ over." And that got a real laugh out of them. Even better.

"I go by a few names on campus: AKA, Kelby, one of this year's Prom Kings, your varsity runningback. But even with all of those—admittedly, epic—names, I've always preferred Aeric. Just Aeric. It's how I entered NMHS, and despite everything I've accomplished with my fellow Dragons, it's how I like being known. And knowing yourself isn't something you learn as a freshman. Heck, we're still learning who we are, even as we leave the halls New Mushroomton High for the rest of our lives. But one thing that each of us has as we start to dive headfirst into those uncertain futures, is magic, whether literally—" Aeric gave a knowing look over to Ian, and the rest of the class laughed, "—or figuratively. Magic is that key thing that's kept us running to beat the clock and score that final touchdown, that's helped us get that _one_ needed score on the test. It's the spark that started to form the moment we walked into school for the first time, our mural mascot cheering us on, and will keep building even after we grab our diplomas. My own magic, for example, started here when my mom—my incredible, absolutely wonderful mermaid mother—handed me a football at the tender age of seven and told me to run. And that's given me the motivation to focus, to make friends with this absolutely _incredible_ team of players that's gotten us the realm championship." The team started to holler. "And it extends to the cheerleaders, who keep us pumped and motivated, and especially everyone here, cheering from those stands. That's what we all are: we're a team. A wonderful, magical team with our own charms, whether it be as one of the most rounded cheerleader journalists—" Aeric gestured over to Sadalia, who gave a little bow, and then Aeric raised his hands from the podium to sign, "—the cutest Spring Fling Queen to ever grace our halls—" Millie raised her hands, all the way toward the back of the class, to cheer in her own special way, "—or a literal wizard, who's insanely easy on the eyes." Again, another chuckle from their class, and he noticed Ian's cheeks flushing, even though he'd heard the speech before.

"So here's to our team as we graduate together: the greatest class of New Mushroomton High Dragons! That is, until the next class claims _they're_ the best. But we'll know it, deep down. Let's continue to let that magic grow in the years to come!"

That's it. That's all—it was done. Aeric stepped back from the podium and smiled, basking in the cheers and applause, like this had just been a touchdown. And maybe it had been, in its own academic way, but if he was going to play for Willowdale, he had to take his other achievements where he could. He still never forgot about winning that science fair in eighth grade, given it was his favorite accomplishment, and hopefully the future had other prospects that weren't just... sports. Salutatorian proved that.

He could breathe better once he sat back down, meeting Ian's gaze again. Ian mouthed a silent declaration of love with a grin, and had he not be sitting onstage, they'd be having a full blown conversation to make the time go by faster.

But Aeric listened intently to their guest speaker, a former centaur cheer captain who took her skills to choreographing for music videos and shows, and Aeric blinked in surprise as she went of script and referenced... his speech.

"Like your Salutatorian, Aeric, said so eloquently—New Mushroomton High was where that magic really started to come together, when I was with my fellow classmates—with my _team_. You Dragons all have each other, from now until the rest of your lives, no matter how far away you end up. Support each other. Cheer each other on in all your endeavors; _that's_ what it means to be a Dragon!" she exclaimed at the end of her speech, earning enough praise to get a standing ovation. And... yeah, Aeric had to hand it to her; she seemed _so used_ to being in front of crowds, and had that aura of sheer presence as she confidently stepped back to take her seat again.

Everyone cheered again once Sadalia made her speech, letting their guest speaker know _she_ spent the past two years on the cheer squad, and could attest to her team being nothing but supportive the whole time she also pursued her dream of being a journalist.

"Needless to say, much as I adore Aeric, I _did_ have to give him a few pointers on his speech, which is why it's so good!" she joked, earning the biggest laugh from the crowd so far. She turned back briefly to shoot him a wink, which had Aeric smiling in return. They had a whole summer to still hang out—and even after that, he really hoped they'd still be friends, if she ever returned home.

And why was it, that rehearsal seemed to take an entire lifetime as they basked in the sun and bored each other to tears with constantly standing and sitting on cue, and yet when the real thing came on, it seemed to go by in a flash? Sadalia finished her speech, and soon after announcing who made Honor Scroll, it was time to walk the stage in alphabetical order. He and Sadalia had different ways of walking than their peers, but he vowed to smile at every student who walked by, grateful that they all made it to this event together.

"Aeric Kelby Aldheim!" The principal announced, and Aeric shook the hands with her and the rest of the faculty. He noticed a few more cheers than usual, mostly from the team, but he could tell Mom was probably yelling her heart out in the crowd, and Aeric could just picture her tail whipping about her tank almost furiously. As he smiled for the official diploma photo, he could distinctly hear Mom cry, " _Yeah—! That's my kid!_ "

And there was just something about that, about the years he'd gone without that presence in his life... that all came flooding to him at once, and he had to choke back the emotion, swallowing thickly. The time for tears, even happy ones, came a little later. Maybe when he hugged Mom after the ceremony.

Aeric sat back down, and they were in the Bs. "Sadalia Louise Brushthorn!" Their Valedictorian was all grins, squeezing Aeric's hand as she crossed the stage to accept her diploma with a twirling flourish. "Go Dragons!" she cried in a cheer stance, getting the graduating squad to cheer even louder for her.

And with every member of the team, Aeric made sure to give them a quick fist bump to show how proud he was that they'd gotten so far—without them, there was no way they'd have scored as well as they did this season, playing their guts out.

And then he watched Ian's row stand, and Aeric wondered just what little flair he would have, given a few kids twirled, or pumped their fists in the air, or showed off their works of art on their caps. But the one wizard of their class? Who knew what to expect!

"Iandore Wilden Lightfoot!" Oh, Aeric could hear Barley's voice toward the back of the bleachers, cheering. And... there was quite the applause for his boyfriend! He graced the stage in a pair of fuchsia wedges and black slacks, eternally stylish to walk across grass. But to Aeric's eternal surprise, Ian took his hands and pulled him up before dipping him into a kiss, pausing the whole ceremony just for his little show. His lips were so sweet, and he could feel the smile in it, this assurance that this was all just bliss, after his little stunt with the dark side.

Ian shot his hand up in the air and cried, " _Boombastia_!" A flurry of fireworks erupted from his fingertips, exploding above everyone's head. Of course, to a bunch of high school seniors, this was the coolest way to end their graduation, and they all had to cheer for such a stunt. But Aeric did notice the slight side eye the faculty gave for how he paused the whole ceremony just to show off his skills.

"That's my boyfriend!" Aeric shouted from his seat, not caring if _everyone_ knew that. And even if they didn't, after that sweet kiss, they certainly did now!

Before long, they'd called the last name, but Aeric was in this haze of just watching Ian, at the audacity he had to flush and act giddy with a sheepish smile after kissing him in front of their entire class and shooting off fireworks. Gods, he could be so cute. And hot, and... well, a bunch of other things he could think once they were out of here and completely alone.

"Friends and family, I'd like to present your _graduating_ class of New Mushroomton High!" That was their signal to move their tassels from right to left, and just like that, they had their diplomas, the ceremony that certified they were _done_ with their high school journeys. Aeric gave a little toss to his hat, along with some of their peers, and gathered it up as the crowd dispersed to find their families.

Immediately he found Ian in the crowd, picking him up in a twirl before kissing him, just like he did the end of their junior year. And there was no finality to this despite this being their last week of high school, not with their whole future paved ahead of them to Willowdale and beyond.

"What did I tell you! Your speech was _amazing_ , Aer!" Ian complimented, moving his tassel out of the way before kissing Aeric again. "I can't believe it's all over..."

"Well, almost," Aeric sighed, wrapping his arm around his boyfriend's waist. "I'm sure our moms want a bazillion pictures of us together before we can get out of here."

And, lo and behold, Aeric was completely right about that, their parents gushing to them in congratulations. Mom gave Ian a fat kiss to his cheek, and Barley put Aeric in a headlock before giving him a huge hug, still on a high from watching the ceremony.

"My little brother does staffless magic! That's the coolest thing _ever_!"

"Barley, you've seen me do that magic before!" Ian laughed and allowed Barley to pick him up for a moment, before he was placed back down. "It was just a little flair."

"I'm so proud of you both!" Laurel complimented, squeezing Aeric's arm before pinching Ian's cheek. "But come on—I want those pictures!"

It didn't matter who it was—their friend group, the guys on the team, each other, their families... their moms clicked away on their phones, parading them in compliments and smiles. With their friend group, the smiles were all the more bittersweet, knowing that they'd be so split up after this summer.

"We're still gonna be friends after this," Gurge promised, squeezing Aeric's shoulder. "There's no way we're not."

"With three of us here in New Mushroomton?" Parthenope replied, fluffing her newly bleached curls. "There's no way! You know you're gonna wanna see a Griffin game!"

"Come on, we can't keep talking smack all night!" Ian pointed out. "We have the whole summer for that!"

And that summer started with a celebratory dinner at the Manticore's Tavern—the place where it all started for the two of them, serving as that perfect location for their first date, and quite a few subsequent dates after that. Corey, huge and intimidating as she was with her wings and fangs, had ended up being one of the _nicest_ people he'd ever met, always welcoming him with a hug, always making sure he was treating Ian well (and definitely didn't want to face _that_ wrath, should anything not so great happen between them). "He's right—as usual," Aeric replied with a chuckle, given he was usually in agreement with his boyfriend. "We should get going if we wanna get that summer started off on the right foot!"

"I have a surprise for you," Ian said, pulling Aeric aside, before turning back to everyone. "We'll meet you at the Tavern!"

"You drove yourself here?" Aeric came with his parents, knowing at some point he'd probably have some alone time with his boyfriend—it was pretty much expected at this point.

"Well... it's kind of part of a graduation gift from Barley." Biting his lip, Ian led him across the parking lot, to Guinevere gleaming in the middle of a sea of sedans, then unzipped his robe to reveal a smart button down under a tasteful peach sweater. One of his boyfriend's more subdued outfits, but on a day like today, a good pair of shoes could be a perfect eye catcher... like Ian's were. But Aeric loved his cap, too, a nicely painted picture of the two of them flying atop a dragon, with some magical embellishments. But looking inside Ian's robe, Aeric noticed a little worn photo clipped near his chest.

"Babe, what's that?" he asked.

"Oh." Ian flushed, stopping his search for Guinevere's keys to open his robe wider and reveal a picture of his dad. "Maybe it's silly, but it feels like he's here with me today. Like... I'm making him proud, even after all the crap I put you through this year. He's the type of guy everyone remembered, from what my mom told me, and it's taken a while, but I think maybe I've been pretty good at trying to uphold his legacy, with the whole learning magic thing."

"It's not silly. I mean, I'm lucky enough to even _know_ you." Aeric kissed Ian's forehead. "Maybe it was just fated that you had to blow up the whole school and bring us both closer to Willowdale."

"Well, we're gonna have the best time doing all of that together." Ian unlocked Guinevere, stepping inside. "I'm insanely glad to have you in my life."

After strapping in, Aeric looked back to see Ian's new staff just behind them. "And you didn't bring that to the ceremony?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Nah, I didn't want to carry it with my diploma," Ian replied, waving a hand. "And I practiced the _whole week_ to see if I could do that spell without the staff! I still don't really trust the new one, but... you know." Victoriana cast it into the Eternal Flame and all. " _But_... I was thinking maybe we could do something romantically cheesy and fly into the sunset together."

"How could I say no to that, especially after we just graduated?" Aeric took his cap off and shook out his hair, hoping it hadn't flattened out too much. "Let's get out of here and beat traffic."

Smirking, Ian did the same to his cap and grabbed the staff. " _Avi Volanta_!" he cried, and with that, the two of them lifted seamlessly off the concrete.

At the beginning of the school year, Aeric had seen their path so clearly, from here to Willowdale. And sure, that road came with insane twists and turns, a few lost trails taken along the way, but that road laid paved before them as they rose in the air, as clear as the cloudless sky.

He closed his eyes, content and completely ready for what their future held.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, did you think this was the end of me writing for Lightheim? No way! There's one more tale to tell for these boys. But maybe I'll give myself an extra week to write it, who knows. Stay tuned!
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated.

**Author's Note:**

> So unlike Firsts, which stuck with the limited point of view for the boys for the whole chapter, this one is going to jump around a bit more, and hopefully feel a little bigger as a story, as that's my intention going in. It's a little different from that format, but I hope you enjoy it all the same!
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated.


End file.
